The Last Card Captor
by Mikki-Chan123
Summary: It's been almost ten years since a girl named Sakura Kinomoto found the book of the "Clow Cards"...How many changes can occur in people's lives after ten years? Life has not only changed for many, a terrible danger approaches and many things are revealed!
1. Prologue

Prologue

She put the books aside. She was truly tired. Well, it was actually not surprising, she had been studying for the exam for three hours straight and now she had a strong head ache.

She had never been good at studying. She still preferred to exercise rather than shutting herself in with a bunch of books. But there was no way of evading this exam and she had to pass it no matter what.

She went to the kitchen, opened the fridge and took out a delicious looking caramel custard.

She needed to cheer herself up.

She had barely started classes at the university and she was already tired. Between studying, the house and working part-time, she could barely breathe, all day seemed like a long marathon.

And now, the exams. She was scared. No matter how much her father told her that it was only a matter of time, for her to get used to the rhythm of college life, the exams made the hair in the back of her head stand on end, it had always been like this for her.

The only things that she was even more afraid of than an exam were those terrible horror stories of ghosts.

There are things that never change. It did not matter where she was right now.

The light coming from the small living room told her that her father was still awake.

-"Poor Dad" -She thought- "all the paper work he has as a Dean makes him just as nervous as the exams make me; I guess he would prefer to still be teaching rather than take care of all this paper work. "

-"You are still awake?" -Asked her father coming in to the kitchen.

-"I needed to cheer myself up to continue studying" -She smiled at him while she showed him the dessert in her hands -"really Dad!!!!...I doubt I'm going to pass this exam!!!!"

-"If you put all your energy into it I'm sure you will be able to" -He answered with a warm smile -"don't forget it's the last one."

-"The last one of a long line of exams that are going to come till I finish my career"- She complained- "but this exam is definitely the hardest one….why is it that they all leave the harder stuff till the end?"

-"Maybe because they want to know if you have what it takes to continue"- He told her before leaving -"besides, the fact that things have gotten harder is a sign that you are ready to take them on. Well, see you tomorrow; don't forget to pick up the mail on your way home please, good night"

She nodded in silence and washed the plate where her dessert had been. She still had to study a little bit more before going to bed. Thank goodness that tomorrow she was off work. This would give her the afternoon off giving her time to go pick up the mail. Igushika-san had called to tell them that they had found a couple of boxes in the basement of their house in Tomoeda and had sent the boxes to them. She had no idea what those boxes could possible contain. Books and old stuff probably. After all, they had been living in an apartment in Tokyo for almost 5 years now.

*********

She basically ran away from the university. That exam had been truly horrific. All of her classmates had the same mourning look in their face, save a couple who look pleased.

She didn't want to think about it…she wasn't going to think about it!!! She had had enough and the best thing she could do was to run to the post office and take a stroll on her way there. Maybe she could forget that exam before getting there.

-"Where are you going?"- Inquired Chisato. -"Aren't you going to the library with the rest of the class?"

-"I have to go to the post office" -She replied.- "They have sent a couple of things for my dad and he doesn't have time to pick them up, so I'm going to take advantage of it and try to distract myself a bit"

-"Cool, with luck maybe they are things that he needs for the university…I would like to go and rest a bit like you, after that nightmare of an exam…"

-"Well, where are you going?"

-"To pick my little brother up from school. It looks like Ryo is in trouble again and my mom cannot leave work and my dad is out of town…so guess who gets to hear the teacher's complaints…"- He replied sulkily -"Can I tell you something? … Younger siblings are little monsters!" He told her while waving goodbye "You have no idea how jealous I am of you, you don't have a brother that bothers you so much!!!...well, see you!!!"

She was left standing alone and in the quiet, feeling embarrassed. She could literally hear her mind working:

_-"Breakfast is ready monster!!! Hurry up!"_

And then Chisato said that younger siblings where monsters. Maybe it was true, but she couldn't ask the expert, after all, the last time that she had seen Touya was four years ago.

The day he left home.

**********

She flopped on the bed with happiness. Sunday!!!! The best day of the week and the only one that she could stay in bed without the necessity to get out running at the sound of the alarm. She looked at the clock. It was almost 9:30 in the morning. She had done the laundry yesterday as soon as she got home so she could have nothing to do on her free day. Well HER free day. Her father was away on a conference for the deans, it was a shame, but she felt proud of him. Only the deans of the best universities where allowed to attend that conference held in the Sunshine building that weekend; her father deserved to be there because he had worked really hard since he became the Dean of the Archaeological College at the University of Tokyo. She was glad that they finally recognized his hard work.

She stood up with a yawn. This was the best time to cook herself a good breakfast! She turned on the stereo in her room and walked toward the kitchen, cheery before the prospect of an entire day without work and complete relaxation. In no time she came out of the kitchen with a tray full of food that she placed on her desk.

Maybe she could eat her breakfast while watching TV, or maybe she should watch that movie that her friend Mako had recommended with such enthusiasm. She turned on the DVD player, sat down to eat and immediately her eyes fell on the box.

She had picked it up from the post office three days before, with some other boxes, but this one had been almost hermetically sealed and had been marked with enormous letters "DO NOT OPEN, THIS IS MINE"

-"I think this one is yours"- Her father had told her when he looked over all the boxes and found that one. -"It's better if you open it and see if the things in there are still valuable to you"

A small sweat droplet appeared in her forehead when she saw the childish handwriting.

Something about the box was weird. When they moved out from the house she had made sure that she had not forgotten something of value or important in there. Well she had been a young girl then, but now she couldn't even remember what was in the box.

Without hurry, and forgetting about her tray of food, she began to open the packet.

-"I'm sure I'm going to end up throwing all of this in the trash" -She murmured- "But I would like to now what it's in here"

Enormous was her surprised when she opened the box.

-"……Books?....wait there are something other things in here…."

The first was a notebook. It had the picture of a sun and a moon on the cover- she recognized it to be her work-it was carefully painted. There was her name on the cover along with the year she had written in it. All the pages where full of writing and some of them had several pictures glued to them.

-"Well it sure is old!!" -She smiled before opening it while she read her name on the cover."

_-"Hello my name is Sakura Kinomoto….."_

-"It's….it's…the diary I had when…..when I was a Card Captor!!!!" -She whispered "then… All of that was real?"


	2. Chapter I

Chapter I- Do you remember me?

"Hi, my name is Sakura Kinomoto…I'm a fourth grader in Tomoeda's elementary school. My favorite classes are music and P.E., while the one I detest is Math; I'm a girl full of happiness and energy…

The members of my family are: my brother Touya, he is a high school sophomore and he attends Seiyu High School which is close to my school, as you can see he spends his time bothering me, just because he is taller than I am…"It's not fair" I swear that one day I'm going to be as tall as an electric grid pole and I swear to you I'm going to…squash him!.

This man is my father, his name is Fujitaka, and he is a university professor, he teaches Archaeology, he is a good man and a really good cook. This is my family. Ahh…my mom?, well, she died when I was three years old, but I don't feel alone, my dad is with me, and my brother too, even if he likes to bother me…

***********

This guy goes to school with my brother. His name is Yukito Tsukishiro and he is in the same class as my brother, what I can't believe is that he is friends with my save brother, seeing as how he is the complete opposite, he is really nice and charming….Ahhh!!!...Yukito-san…

She is Tomoyo Daidouji, she is my best friend, she is really smart and she is the daughter of the owner of a large company…her hobby is to take pictures or video of me with her camera when I'm with her, maybe you think that Tomoyo is a little strange…

***********

Ummm who is talking? nobody in my house speaks that way…oh yeah yesterday I found that book that contains the Clow cards, their purpose is to create magic…in reality I didn't know what was going on, and without thinking I let them escape; that is why Kerberos is asking me to reunite them all again. Kerberos, the beast of the seal…really his name doesn't go with his appearance, I think Kero is much more appropriate…"

She had the box in front of her; she also had the diary of her childhood. How did this happen? She started to remember…she had left the box, extremely sealed in the basement, FIVE YEARS AGO, a little while before they had moved to Tokyo and she had never come back for it. Maybe she had been embarrassed about the things that where written in it but the years had gone by, now she was 19 years old and at the moment she touched the diary she was invaded by a sweet nostalgia.

So many things….so many things shared with people that little by little had left her life. She smiled seeing the pictures glued to the first page of the diary. There was a picture of her, also of her father, gentle and smiling like always; he hadn't changed despite the years that had gone by; now his hair was a little white in places but he was still the same.

She then saw the picture of her brother. Touya had always been a lot taller than she was, maybe because she had been a little girl then. Her brother, who always liked to bother her, but also worried much about her and cared for her in a very particular way…Where, is he now?

She sighted feeling sad. It had been five years without news about him. Her father had been very quiet when Touya had left the house, but despite all her questions, she never found out the reason why her brother had left the house in such a manner.

It wasn't that Touya didn't have a temper, no; she knew him well enough to contradict that, but she had never seen him like that when she came back from school and she listened to this phrase:

-"Then it's better if I just leave"- He had said with seriousness while she entered the small kitchen, only to see Touya looking at his father in a terribly cold manner, while his father looked at him impassibly.

-But…what's going on?"- She had said, struck by the tension that could be felt in the atmosphere.

Touya had simply left without answering and in a matter of minutes had come back with a rucksack over his shoulder, while his father remained still.

-"I'm sorry"- He told her before leaving

-"Wait….brother, what is going on?" – She asked him, scared- "Where are you going?"

-"Take care, monster" He said with a small smile- "and also take care of him, will you?"

-"But…You?...Why?"

-"Just do what I'm asking you to do. Please"- That was the last thing he said.

He had left the house and had never come back.

She had talked to her father, to clear things up, she had followed her brother to the station, but he had not uttered another word. She saw him leave. She tried to get her father to mention the reason Touya had left, but the sadness in the eyes of her father was such, every time she asked about it, that she soon stopped asking and simply limited herself to cry silently.

That day had been the end to everything. She remembered now. Then, when they had moved to Tokyo, she had left behind this box.

She had had to leave everything behind

Her brother's departure had been the end. Syaoran had already left; followed by Yukito-remembering them brought a sad smile to her face- no long after that she had lost contact with Chiharu and Naoko too.

Then Tomoyo also left.

She and Rika had even come to miss Yamazaki.

She had cried, soaking her brother's shirt with her tears when she learned that Rika was not going to come back from her vacation in Osaka, when she learned that they were going to sell their house through an agent.

She hadn't even said goodbye to her last remaining friend from childhood. Then she had become even more attacked to Kero, but one day he disappeared and the cover of the card's book once again featured the image of "the beast of the seal" and nothing that she tried made the little stuffed animal come back and occupy once again his space in her room.

Then finally her brother too had left.

She had even managed to convince herself that all of that had been just a fantasy…a fantasy that she had shared with a group of people she had loved very much but that were no longer by her side. After all, that's how it all had been, a lovely fantasy that they had shared in different ways, until the tides of time and reality had separated them.

In this notebook there were all her small comments about the things that happened then…thanks to Kero, she had become a Card Captor and Tomoyo had become the designer of different costumes for every adventure, always recording everything with a smile. But no matter all the things that she faced, she was always running late every morning with her skates to leave together with Touya- he on his way to the high school and she to the neighboring elementary school- specially to be able to enjoy the charming company of Yukito. Always so sweet and so nice to her.

Later Syaoran arrived and had become her opponent not only in capturing the Clow Cards but also in the fight to get Yukito's attention. Finally the Chinese child was able to adapt himself to the group which included Naoko, Chiharu, Rika, Tomoyo and herself. With some lies from Yamazaki as a bonus and always under the surveillance of Touya, and later, how could she forget the arrival of Mei Ling and the problems that had caused…The number of adventures had certainly not been a few, neither had been the problems to locate the lost Cards, and then Kero grew to acquire his true form as the "Beast of the Seal", then Yukito transformed into the Judge and protector with the aspect of an angel with beautiful white wings and with a serious temper that took the name of Yue. Finally that kid from England came, Eriol, but not alone. Nakuru and Spinel proved that they were not easy to defeat, until the moment that Eriol revealed that he had created the Clow Cards in his past life, where his name was Clow Leed and that he had come to prove if she was a good Master of the Cards- the now named Sakura Cards- and since he had been satisfied with the results of the tests he had given her, he was satisfied with her.

Then he returned to England.

She wasn't sure if that was the moment when everything came tumbling down. Had everything been a fantasy that had ended? Because it didn't take long for Syaoran to leave and then little by little the rest had also left, leaving her feeling alone so she had preferred to leave everything behind in that box.

But now, like coming out of a long dark tunnel to the light, the diary was there, and even more, the book that had given her the beginning to all of her childhood adventures was, again, in her hands. Did she put the Cards there? Yes, she had put them there, and now looking at the picture of Kerberos in the cover she wanted to believe, to believe again that she was a small child that when she opened the book she would find the Card "Windy" and that the cards would fly away and that the adventure would once again begin.

"_Dumb Sakura, come back to reality. It was a beautiful game that had stayed behind a long time ago and whose memory is only in the things that you have in front."_

"I know. But just for one instant I wish that things where not like this."

"_Why? All of this only brought you sadness and solitude at the end, all of them left you alone and the fantasy proved to be too painful. Face reality."_

'True, I'm not a child anymore, I'm an adult now and this is just a childish fantasy."

She took the sealed book in her hands and touched the seal. Nothing happened. What could have happened?...She had tried many times to open it when Kero disappeared and it had never worked, no matter how much effort she put into it. The book had always remained closed.

"_You still have many things to do. Take advantage of the free day you have to go grocery shopping and maybe you could also study a bit more and think about your future."_

"Yes, that's a good idea."

"_Then there is not time to waste."_

She took the breakfast tray and switched her attention to the movie, but eating her breakfast was proving difficult since the book, the diary and the box occupied a lot of space in her desk.

"Well, I guess I should pack all of this again and store it in a place where it doesn't bother. I'll do it after I finish breakfast."

"_Well. First thing first."_

"Yes."

She put the diary in the box.

"_Next."_

She touched the sealed book that contained the cards and sighted.

"Still…………I would have liked for everything to have been real."

The book began to glow and Sakura stood up so rapidly that she threw the book in the air and the action was so rough that her desk toppled over and fell to the floor along with her since she had tried to prevent it from happening.

In a second she was on the floor with a disastrous array of things from her breakfast tray, the contents from the box, her own hair in a tangle and the desk on its side, but in that instant the round head of a small creature appeared from a pile of things-the things from the box where the book had fallen- and somebody began to whine.

-"Owwwww!!!!! What's going on? Are you trying to kill me?"

-"?????"

-"What's going on here? Where am I? Owwwww!!!!!!!! Where is Sakura?"

The 19 year old girl found herself staring at the face of a comic creature that looked like a stuffed toy with small wings on its back.

She blinked.

-"Kero????"

-"Who are you? Why are you calling me like Sakura did?"- Said the small creature with a racket, agitating his arms in an exaggerated way. –"Do you know Sakura?.....WHERE IS SAKURA?????!!!!!!!"

-"I can't believe it!"- She whispered- "It's you Kero…"

-"Wait just a minute Missy! Just a minute!....what do you mean by Kero?...I'm Kerberos! The Beast of the Seal and…"- He hesitated- "oh…oh…this has happened to me before and then…"-He stopped talking and turned to throw a fearful look at the open book, whose content, a pack of pink cards, was sprawled on the floor-"Thank goodness! For a moment there I thought I was going to have to begin all over again…"

-"All over again?"

-"Yes, something like this happened before and that was the way I met a small girl, my master, Sakura. Who are you Missy?...Where is Sakura?"

-"Calm down Kero. It's me."

-"I told you already don't call me that!!!...Only Sakura and Tomoyo call me that and you are not my master Sakura, the master of the cards and owner of this book."

-"But it is me, Kero!!!...Sakura."

-"Don't try to fool me!!! Sakura is a child and she is my master!"

-"Kero, it's me…It's been at least nine years since I met you."

-"What?? You're kidding!"

-"Of course not"-She gave him a smile, she was suddenly very happy-"now I'm a university student and I'm 19 years old."

Kero looked at her with his small eyes and started to laugh.

-"Oh come on! Then that would mean that I fell asleep again…"

Sakura started to laugh too.

-"It's been at least five years since the last time I saw you. Look at me so that you can recognize me!"

In effect, Kero began look at her up and down and then after more nervous laughter from both of then….

He fainted.

+o+.

***************************************************************************************

-"That's impossible! It cannot be!"

-"Please Kero, I'm telling you the truth…I don't know how it happened but I couldn't open the book much less wake you up and take you out of it…" She explained pondering "it seems impossible to me that I can see you know…"

-"Let's see…if I remember correctly"-Kero paced up and down Sakura's bed with small steps-"I remember you were really sad because your friends had left…you really had me worried Sakura, I myself was feeling weak, but I never thought that it was something serious…but you say you couldn't open the book…"

-"What are you trying to say?"

-"Just answer me this: Was there any moment when you wished you hadn't met me and the Clow Cards?"

-"I don't know. I just know that I felt really sad."

-"Well, that would explain part of the problem…maybe unconsciously you stopped believing in your own magic, besides you were already a teenager and it is not as easy to believe in magic as when you are a child…that would explain why you couldn't wake me up"- He sounded doubtful while Sakura thought-"but…if you are 19 years old now, how long was the book in that box?"

-"Well I left everything behind in the house in Tomoeda since my brother left"- She continued with sadness- "and since you weren't with me it wasn't necessary for me to have it… it only made me feel worse because it reminded me of all the things I had and had lost…"

-"Your brother left the house? Where does he live now?...I always thought he was going to hire a ninja to watch over you when you went to High school…"- He laughed-"How is he looking after you now? What is he doing?"

-"I don't know. Dad and I haven't heard from him in the past five years"- She answered while her face showed her worry-"We really miss him…"

The little creature looked at her attentively for a moment; he was almost comparing her to the small girl he had met so many years ago and comprehension settled on his face. What he had always admired about the Kinomoto family was the fact that they were really close to one another…he couldn't understand why all of that had changed but Sakura's face in that moment showed how deep the situation had wounded her.

-"I'm sorry Sakura"- He said-"I'm sorry I left you alone for all this time…but I'm sure we will find a way to communicate with your brother…and with the rest too…I'm really sorry that I couldn't be with you all this time!"

-"Don't worry Kero, I'm happy that you were able to come back…You know? I even thought that everything had been a game, a dream that had ended, and that I myself had created!..."- She smile and hugged him, she was really happy- "Even now it seems impossible that you are here!...it's like a dream…a dream!... I'm afraid of waking up and find you in the cover of the book"

"Sakura you are suffocating me!!!"

-"Oh I'm sorry"- She laughed freeing him from her hug-"it's just that I'm really happy…now don't think I've changed that much…that's not true! I'm still the same Sakura that you know so well!!..."

-"Well that's not completely true…you have really grown, I couldn't even recognize you since you have grown up so much"-both began to laugh-"you are really pretty too…"

-"Thanks Kero!"- She laughed again-"and so you can continue complementing me I'm going to bring you something that I hope you still like…because I just remembered that there is still one in the fridge…don't you want to know what it is?"

-"CAAAKKKEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

-"Yeah that's right. And since Dad hasn't lost his touch with cooking and making desserts, I'm sure you are really going to enjoy eating it…let me go get it!"

-"Wait let me go with you!"

They both left in the direction of the kitchen and in an instant Kero was stuffing his face with the last piece of cake while Sakura thought about what she would make for dinner. Without preamble Kero suggested okonomiyake and while Sakura began cleaning the house Kero thought. It wasn't that he didn't like the apartment; he wasn't worrying about that, he was worrying about the fact that he wasn't awake when Sakura needed him most. Her master was still a girl full of life and energy, but the fact that she had grown up and had left behind the knowledge of her magic- even if she herself had wanted to forget all of that by leaving all of her memories in that box at her old home-was worrying him.

-"Stop worrying about that Kero"- Sakura told him while she dusted the small living room table-"besides it wasn't easy to accept that I was the only teenager that believed in the existence of magic and that fact, after turning 14, is very hard. People either start to call you "dumb and childish", or they simply believe that you are totally crazy….and since I did not like one thing or the other and I didn't have any proof that all of that had actually happened…"

-"And the Cards? You still had them; you could have proved everything…."

-"If you must remember Mr. I was asleep, I had left my cards in the book, the same book where you were happily asleep in the cover and the same one where I couldn't get you out or open it…how was I supposed to prove anything?"-She sighted-"It wasn't something I could tell people about…I don't know, as time went by school kept me more and more occupied…besides without you and nobody that actually knew what had happened, one day I found myself in front of the book wondering if the card thing had been real or not…"

-"But Sakura! How could you ever doubt you own power!...With all the stuff that we went through!"

-"I'm sorry!!!! But once you grow up things are not the same as they used to be when you were a kid and you see everything in a different light…my logical side told me that everything had been a fantasy and I ended up thinking of it in that way."

-"Your logical side? What is that?"

-"I think it was my conscience"- She said a little bit doubtful- "Or at least part of it. The part that tells me that I need to stop believing in things that I cannot find proof of and that tells me that I need to focus in something truly useful…"

-"Magic is not useless!!!!! Maybe you don't remember how many people we helped with the powers of the cards?!!!!'

-"Ok, but as time went by the memories seemed to belong to someone else and not to me Kero…I was even going to put the book away when the book began to glow like before, and you came out of it!...I don't know why it worked now and not before…."

-"Hmmmm…well I guess all that logical thing is common to normal people… now that you mention it I think I had heard about the logical side…ok, but you are a Card Master and your power developed a lot when you were a kid…then I suppose when you saw yourself without all of us you stopped believing in your magic…"

-"Then why did you come out now?"

-"Hmmmm"- He stopped flying and sat down on the sofa-" the only thing I can think of is that, deep down, deep deep down…you still believe in magic…very deep down in your heart.

She thought for a moment and then nodded.

-"I think you are right. I think I did blame magic for losing all of my friends, or at least because it couldn't help me to stop them from leaving…because I can't look at you without remembering the others…and the truth…the truth is, when I began reading the diary that I had when everyone was with me, I once again began to believe it had been real…"

-"And that's what made your magic able to wake me up again!!!"- Shouted Kero-"that's fantastic…because there is nothing worse that a Card Master that doesn't believe in her own magic…but it is very worrying that you allowed so much time to go by…your power could be really weak….ok, I think a test is in order."- He flew toward her room with renewed energy to test out this new idea- "Come on, follow me! We need to test you!"

-"What do you mean?"

-"Call on one of your cards!"

-"Are you crazy???"- Her green eyes looked like enormous plates before such a task-"Don't you remember what happened the first time I used those cards?'

-"There is a difference now"- Kero said while he crossed his arms in front of him-"these cards are yours, they belong to you, and so they cannot provoke a disaster unless you order them to do so"-Since she still looked scared at the prospect he continued persuading her-"you need to take the idea that magic only brings problems out of your head otherwise you are not going to recover full use of your power!!!!"

-"But all of this hasn't totally convinced me Kero…" She replied sighting while she entered her room.

**

The janitor of the building descended the stairs slowly when he heard the scream. After doubting for a few seconds he realized it had come from the Kinomoto's apartment and since the professor had left early in the morning-he had said hi to him while the Dean was on his way out- the only person that could have screamed would be Ms. Sakura. The beautiful Ms. Sakura had screamed!!... Ryoji Kanzaka ran as fast as he could, swearing that he was going to take apart with his bare hands that thing that had scared the most beautiful girl he had ever met…what if it was a kidnapping?...he had to rescue her no matter what!!!!!!

**

-"Come on Sakura! Don't you remember how to use your own cards?"-Grumbled Kero-"Well!!! This is certainly worse than I imagined!"

-"Stop saying that Kero…flying upside down is not very calming ok, and the least I could do was scream…"

Kero sighted as he looked down at the old magic wand where two wings sprang out…he looked to the girl on top of it, upside down and against the laws of gravity…

-"You have obviously lost some ability…. a lot of it!...if this happens when you use "The Fly", I don't want to think what is going to happen when you try to use the others, we are going to have to practice a lot and use them as much as possible so you can become used to them again…how come, when you were a small girl, you didn't have so many problems to use them?"

-"Well, you see…"

-"I guess you believed in magic and that helped you a lot… besides, since these are your cards and you have so many doubts about your own powers this makes them a little bit unstable to use at the moment."

-"You mean I'm going to have problems with these cards?... Don't tell me that they are going to run out of control!"

-"I don't think so. You are the problem, not the cards…they respond according to you. But if you are not sure about your power…"

-"What are you trying to say?"

Heavy pounding on the door of the apartment drew their attention in that instant, at the same time that a desperate voice called:

-"Miss Sakura!!!!! Miss Sakura!!!! Are you ok?...Oh please answer Miss Sakura!!!!"

-"Who could it possibly be"- She murmured while she flew out of her room with Kero following her, she was still upside down.

-"I don't know but with the screams that you let out, I'm not surprised someone came running."

-"Ah it must be the janitor!!!!"- She said relieved-"The problem is I can't open the door like this…"

-"Miss Sakura!!!!!!!!!! Miss Sakura!!!!!!!!!!!!"

-"You better answer him. He could break the door down…"

-"Yeah"- She nodded and approached the door to answer him; her head was almost rolling on the floor while she was still holding on to the wand- "I'm ok Kanzaka-kun!! Don't worry!!!"

-"But…Miss Sakura…" Replied the janitor-"Are you sure you are ok?...that yell..."

-"I was only frightened by…by…a movie…yeah, a horror movie that I was watching in my room…that's all"

-"You were scared by a horror movie?...Mid-morning?" -He whispered- "well, whatever you prefer Miss Sakura…but don't forget that if you ever have a problem you can call me to help you…"

-"Of course!"- She said to him behind the door.

They could hear him stepping away and Kero raised one eyebrow…he hadn't thought about that.

-"That guy is interested in you!!!"- He cried in an instant.

-"Eh?... what do you mean?"

-"Is there more than one?... I'm talking about the janitor!!!! Didn't you hear that tone of voice?"- He inquired and then continued in a high pitched voice –"Miss Sakura!!!! Miss Sakura"- He crossed his arms with annoyance-"He was so worried about you that..."

-"Enough Kero!...How could you say that since you have never even seen him?"

-"Everything was obvious with that tone of voice. I'm not stupid."- He looked at her-"Do you like him or is he your boyfriend?"

-"Neither one nor the other. What a jealous guy you are!"

-"Do you have a boyfriend?...Are you about to get married?"

-"What makes you think that?" She asked surprised-"well I'm not going to deny that I have gone out with some boys, but going out to getting married, there is a big difference."

-"What a mess!!!- Kero took his head in his hands-"Don't tell me that was the reason you stopped believing in magic?!"

-"Course not! The things that you come up with!"- She replied while the power of "The Fly" vanished and she fell to the floor- "Ouch that really hurt…"

-"Then…are you going out with somebody right now?"

-"No. Not at this very moment at least. I have guy friends at the university, but I don't have a boyfriend right now…why are you so worried about it?"

-"Why?...You still ask yourself why?"- Kero was in hysterics-"You are a Card Master!!!! It would be embarrassing for a Card Master to have a boyfriend or go out with a boy that has absolutely not even one drop of magical power!"

-"Well I'm glad my dad doesn't think that way. He has never prohibited anything to me and while I haven't really fallen in love I am not going to put "magical powers" as a requirement when the time comes to find The One for me…"

-"No, no, no, no and no!!!!... How can it be possible that my Card Master is going to go out with a guy without magical powers!!!! No, no and nooooooooooo!!!!"

-"Please, Kero calm down, it doesn't matter that much…You are acting almost like my brother…" She gave him a kind smile.

-"Well it would certainly be useful if he were here right now to watch over you"-He said-"hey, why did he leave?"

-"I don't know. Dad never wants to talk about it, although I have seen him very worried when he thinks I'm not looking at him…I know he is always thinking about my brother, if he is alright or not…but he hasn't even called since he left."

-"That's very harsh on his part."

-"I don't know. Something happened in between them…but I don't know what it was, but since we also came to live here in Tokyo we haven't had news of him…although I'm sure he is fine you know?...it is as if I can feel it…he has always known how to take care of himself."

-"Well I'm glad you are confident about that Sakura."

-"Mind I wasn't that confident you know, but now that you are here, I'm sure Touya is fine…wherever he is…but we do miss him, dad and I would be so happy if he ever came back."

-"Hmm…that is very interesting"-He uttered to himself-"And the rest?...You never heard from them again?"

-"No, but you already know that, that hasn't changed since you fell asleep…what are you on about?"

-"Well maybe, as a practice, you could try to find them all…wouldn't you like to know how they all are?"

-"We tried that when Tomoyo left…don't you remember? It didn't work that time, why should it work now?"

-"Well maybe then the depression you were in did not help, but now that you are out of it…well maybe…"

-"Maybe what?"

-"Maybe I can feel Yue's presence…if he is close by of course."

-"What makes you think that? When his grandfather died, Yukito had to go with his grandmother to Hokkaido…you think that maybe he is in Tokyo?"

-"Everything is possible after a few years…but if I don't find him I could take some drastic measures…"

-"Like what?"

-"Maybe we could go to Hong Kong and locate that kid…it wouldn't be difficult for me to find his house thanks to the large quantity of power that his family possesses and maybe with his help I could find Yue and then…"

-"Are you out of your mind????!!!!!!!- She cried-"you want me to go to Hong Kong to look for Syaoran? Have you any idea how complicated it would be for me to go all the way over there while I'm still taking my finals at the university?"-She said-"and that is without taking into account how embarrassing it would be…a lot of time has gone by and I don't think I could even recognize him, besides I'm sure he already forgot about me…and what could I possibly say to him?...Hi, it's me Sakura!...the girl that was almost your girlfriend when you were young… it's insane!!"

-"Young people find things that little kids don't even think about as embarrassing…so complicated…-He admitted-"but then…what?"

-"I'm not going to deny that seeing Yukito, Tomoyo and all the rest wouldn't be great, but…"- She thought-"Maybe there is another "normal" way of finding something out…"

-"Like what?"

-"A week ago, I read in the paper that Tomoyo's mom, Sonomi, was coming back to the country to close a business deal between an American company…you know, since her company is really important and all, it's for sure that they are going to make the deal here…I'm going to call a few important hotels and see if I can find her and ask her about Tomoyo…"-Kero approved the idea with a nod-"meanwhile you can try to sense Yue and find out how he is…"

-"Didn't you say that it wasn't possible?"

-"Well we can't lose anything by trying…"-She smiled-"besides I'm not going to say that it wouldn't be great to see how they are…"

-"Ok then, we'll try…but what about the others?"

-"We'll start with Tomoyo and Yukito…they are the one's we even have a hope of finding…"

-"Wait a minute"- Interrupted Kero while she looked for the phone book to find out the most important hotels of the city-"why don't you like my idea about going to Hong Kong?"

-"Because I think it embarrassing…"

Kero looked at the girl he had in front of him and remained in thought. Things really complicated themselves as time went by…she was no longer the nice and sweet little girl that used to go to elementary school in skates…now she was a beautiful and attractive young woman, with all that those things imply…

Sakura now wore her light brown hair much longer than before. Now it cascaded down her back, shiny and silky, framing a beautiful pale face where two brilliant green mirrors, shaded by long, thick lashes, reflected, both, her happiness at life and her sweetness and gentleness that were just as great as her humility and modesty. Her mouth was small, fine and delicate. She was slender and not very tall, with a certain fragile and sweet aspect that Kero had noticed in the pictures of her mother and it was obvious that Sakura had inherited, along with her smile and charm. Those years had left behind the childish sweetness and had made her charmingly feminine. The same small Sakura… sweet, modest and happy as always, but now nineteen years old… nineteen…

What a situation!

She had become too pretty and that worried him… Had he just now gotten back her master only to lose her to some guy with not a single drop of magical power?

Hell no.

That would be humiliating and embarrassing. Now that her brother was no longer there to protect her he would have to take command of that job of protecting Sakura.

-"And what about the Yue thing?"

-"Understand something Kero: I have not asked you to tell me where Yukito is… I think it would also be embarrassing to go looking for him… he is not a teenager anymore!... I would only like to know that he is ok… after all, the only thing he had left was his grandmother and she was already old…"

-"But you allowed him to go with her!"

-"Because his grandmother needed him, I could not be so selfish to allow Yukito to become confused between his duty to be with me as Yue and his normal life…"

-"I see, I see…"- He brightened up again-"then… let's get going!!!"- He hesitated and stopped- "although..."

-"Although what?"

-"Well… I'm still astonished that you couldn't wake me up in such a long time… is disquieting that the practical side of your personality managed to lock your magic away in such a manner…"

-"I told you already that I unconsciously blamed my magic of my problems…''

-"Yes, but I still find it rather strange…first as a Card Captor then as a Card Master you showed a great ability… why did you all of a sudden lose it all that way?"

-"Why do you think?"

-"I don't know, but this does not sound so simple and common…"

-"You are afraid that it was something else then?"- She asked him seriously.

-"I don't know… it's just an idea… but it is possible."

_Author notes: Hello!!!! I hope that you liked the first look at our nineteen year old heroine. I know what you are asking yourself: and the rest of the characters?? Patience, patience…just take it slowly… ^u^_

_I hope that you liked my description of Sakura and that I was specific enough like I wanted it to be, and well as always whatever doubst, rotten tomatoes, or comments-which really help- send and e-mail to mikki_ (This being the translation we recommend that you do not e-mail Mikki unless you speak Spanish, any comments please leave them in the review section, we'll pass them on thanks!!!!)_

_A little advance of the next episode:_

_Things have changed a lot in Syaoran's emotional life, although Mei Ling's feelings remain the same. And not only that!...the young sorcerer and all of those that have ever met him could become the victims of a conspiracy to destroy the Li Clan and all those that could help them out. But this conspiracy began a long time ago!!! Meanwhile Sakura is really happy, exams are finally over! But she won't be able to put into action some plans in Kero's project to reunite everyone once again… And some are closer than they think…_

Chapter II: Old Acquaintances


	3. Chapter II

Chapter II: Old Acquaintances

"_Hello again diary, can I tell you something?... I had a very weird dream… in it there was a boy dressed with a weird Chinese outfit, the dream was exactly the same as the one I have of me at the top of Tokyo Tower… What does it mean?... I don't know! But I'll ask Kero... Remember when I told you about the Chinese kid?, well, his name is Li Shaoran and he has been in our school for a while now, since he is related to Clow the magician, he is determined to capture the Clow Cards for himself. And he's got such a penetrating gaze that scares me!...Well it looks like he likes Yukito too , but he doesn't get quite along with my brother, the first time they met they almost fought! And if that wasn't enough, today a girl named Mei Ling arrived in class, and it turns out that she is Li's relative and also looks at me in an weird way! I don't know what I'm going to do… the girls started talking about ghosts at the end of class today too…at least Tomoyo and Kero understand me!"_

_***************************************************_

The library's door closed silently but it left some tension on the place and the person that sat on the high backed chair that dominated the room didn't pronounce a single word while Mei Ling entered. He didn't change posture, or turned around to face the newcomer, something that notably increased the irritation of the beautiful Chinese girl that had just entered.

She was really upset. The situation was absurdly exasperating but apparently she wasn't the only one that felt this way. She had discussed it with her grandmother the previous day and the old lady shared her concern of the current situation.

It was necessary to set a date and the issue was starting to become unpleasant.

When she turned 13 years old her aunt had promised her in marriage to a young man with great powers and abilities that did not belong to the Li family. Actually she had been engaged to him until last year, but after the wizards' reunion –six months ago- her fiancé had been discovered using his magical powers in a very negative way and had been expelled from the Wizards' Council in a very undignified way.

It wasn't that she was excessively sorry or that she loved him. She never felt anything about that man and deep down she felt some kind of relief on not having to marry him, but it did worry her that the person who was in front of her didn't take any interest on future events.

"So?" – She began- "what do you say then? My Aunt told me that you had to decide, since you are the Chief of the Li Clan and…"

"And? Do you have any suggestions?"

-"We are being pressured from every direction, you must have noticed that. Also, now that you have become the Leader of the Wizard's Cousil, making you the most powerful Wizard in the East not to mention adding a lot of enemies to your list…"

-"Are those your motives for getting this done?" – He said without changing posture.

Mei Ling blushed. For once in her life she was glad that her cousin wasn't looking at her because she felt her whole face go red and since she didn't have the intention of answering that question, the expression on her face said everything.

Of course she had become really happy when she found out about it. She had lost hope when her aunt engaged her to another man when she was 13 years old, but now she felt almost like floating, but she wasn't blind enough to ignore Shaoran's reasons for marrying her.

She had always been in love with him and that feeling hadn't changed through the years. But she had also accepted that, since she did not have any magical powers, she wasn't the right choice for her aunt to marry her to her only son; never the less, Shaoran's problems had happened because of that girl that had made her aunt consider more desperate options and with the breakup of her own engagement the situation had been decided.

So she was now set to marry Shaoran.

-"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that" He said, finally tuning to look at her. "I'm sorry I have been very rough with you and I haven't even thought of what you must be suffering right now because of what happened to Lao."

-"Don't worry… you know well that my only concern it's the well being of the Li family and its future…"

-"I know that. You have been much more conscious of that than myself, and I admired you for that. But I think that the end of your engagement it's still too recent, for us to rush our marriage. The truth is, I think it best if we wait until next year… if you prefer, we could get married on your birthday."

-"But your mother and grandma…"

-"My mother will be satisfied if it's on your birthday and I'm sure that my sisters will help you prepare everything, besides it would be better if you have enough time to prepare for it, don't you think?"

-"Yes."

-"It's best if you go and tell grandma at once, I'll tell my mother when she comes back…"

Mei Ling nodded silently and left, closing the door silently behind her. Fortunately the library was dark because when Shaoran had mentioned her birthday as the day for the wedding, her face became even redder and she couldn't have been able to hide that. She had controlled the weakness of her voice with difficulty but now she couldn't believe that everything was set.

She had always loved him. But after coming back from that trip to Japan –when they were little children-her behavior toward him had changed. Not only because in that trip his cousin had preferred that Japanese Card Captor, but also because she realized he only ever saw her as a sister.

That's why she had changed towards him. She never again, threw herself at him, yelling that she was his fiancée, no, never again, their treatment had been cordial and almost familiar since then, but her feelings never changed.

Although, neither did his.

She knew he didn't love her. At least not the way she wanted him to love her, but he did have a great affection for her and after what happened with Mai Tsi he had been badly hurt and he needed her more than what he dared to admit.

And that was enough.

Mai Tsi. She hated her like she had always hated the girls that had caught Shaoran's attention, since she was a little girl. But Mai Tsi had been more than a child or adolescent crush, Mai Tsi had been the owner of her cousin's heart and that's why she hated her… because she had made Shaoran suffer.

But she was definitely out of his life now…

In the library, the door opened again and Wei entered with a tray of snacks and tea that he placed on the desk of his young master.

-"Anything else young master Li?"

-"Yes, Wei" –Said the young man while his gaze turned intensely thoughtful- "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

-"Your mother and the rest of the members of the Li Clan will be very happy my master."

-"You are not giving me an answer Wei. Tell me: do you really think that what I'm doing is right?"

-"If the Young Master has doubts… why is he doing it?"

-"Why? Because it's the most proper and more sensible choice and because I'm the Chief of the Li Clan and now also the Chief of the Wizards Council… bringing me enemies… and its best if I marry soon, to ensure the continuity of my Clan… that's why"

-"Then? ... If it is so appropriate to carry out this wedding… why the doubt?"

-"Because I don't love Mei Ling and that is unfair to her. She is so good and has suffered so much because of what happened to Lao… I even feel responsible for that…"

-"You tried to help mister Lao, you asked him to quit his practices with that type of magic when you found out about it, you couldn't do anything else except to stop him completely."

-"Yes, but old Lao blames me for what happened to his son."

-"The truth is young master, is that mister Lao tried to kill you and you just defended yourself… the fact that the Council condemned him to death it's not your fault… you hadn't even been elected Chief yet."

-"That doesn't take away the fact that old Lao now hates me and has sworn to kill me Wei." He said, expressionless. "It worries me that when he finds out that Mei Ling is going to get married with me he includes her in all this… she doesn't have any magical power and she would not be able to defend herself."

-"I think you're underestimating Miss Mei Ling. She has worked hard to increase her abilities and even though she doesn't have any innate aptitudes, she has learned a lot and is capable of defending herself…"

-"Yes, but don't forget that old Lao was the Chief of the Council and that even though Tsé was his only son and heir, it doesn't mean that the Lao family doesn't have enough power to create a war between wizards… a war that could not only harm China but also destabilize the magical balance on the world."

-"That is why you doubt marring Miss Mei Ling?"

-"In part. Maybe it sounds ridiculous to you, but I would have liked to have love in my marriage."

-"There isn't?"

-"Come on Wei!" –He protested- "you know what I mean!"

-"Don't you feel anything for Miss Mei Ling?"

-"Of course I do. You know that I love her a lot, she's always been close to me… but I'm not in love with her like she isn't in love with me and that is what worries me, can we get married with just fondness for each other?"

-"That is something that only you can decide master Li… but… wouldn't it be because you still think of Miss Mai Tsi?"

-"Wei!" –He protested more arduously- "how can you mention that?"

-"Because the Master is questioning the marriage and last time that you talked about marriage was when miss Mai Tsi and you…"

-"Mai Tsi is a finished and closed business Wei. That it's pretty clear, especially to me, and I don't want any more comments about that."

-"As you wish, Master Li."

Shaoran stood up and walked through the room with discreet worry. He wasn't going to think about Mai Tsi. The threats of old Lao still resounded on his mind and they worried him. That old man had been Chief of the Wizard's Council and it had been a hard blow on him the fact that his only son and heir was condemned to death for practices of forbidden magic, forcing him not only to resign his position as Chief of the Council, but also to separate himself from all the wizards of China and swear the extermination of the Li Clan. And Shaoran knew that the threat could not be taken loosely. The Lao were, after the Li Clan, the most powerful wizards on China and now they were sworn enemies. Plus there were other rumors going on as well…

Someone had once said to him that young Lao Tsé envied him for his notable potential as a wizard and that he only faked his friendship… but he never really paid attention to those comments; now, however, he remember that, before Lao Tsé attacked him, he said: "the plan to get rid of the Li Clan and every possible ally it gained had begun a long time ago" what did he mean by that?... it had been discovered that lots of the conflicts that –he and the Clan- had had to solve the last five years had been provoked by Lao Tsé, but what did he mean by allies? Had they planned to hurt other people that he'd met? Who?

He didn't find anything that supported that when the Council analyzed the evidence against Lao, but the words still rang in his head… allies?

Wei made a gesture to take away the snacks and Shaoran stopped him with a wave of his hand while he tried one of them. His young master was really worried about the Lao matter, almost as much as his engagement and he would want nothing more that to be able to help somehow.

It was hard work to be chief of the most powerful clan of wizards in China with barely twenty years of age…

Time had transformed Shaoran into a really good-looking young man. He was tall for his age and slender, but elegant and very distinguished. He practiced soccer at a near by club and ran every morning. Unlike most Chinese wizards, he had short and shinny hair and even though his trade mark frown hadn't abandoned him it only gave him an authoritarian air that he needed. And he was really popular. He had, besides of his attractive appearance, a level of magical power and an economic level absolutely enviable and although sometimes he tended to concentrate on his problems –to the point that he lost notice of what happened around him- Wei wasn't blind to not see that his visits to the club were always tinted by a big feminine crowd, that always cheered him on every game and seemed to hang onto the decided sparkle of his eyes and each one of his words. But despite what one could think, life hadn't been easy for him. The enormous amount of responsibilities that the leadership of the Clan brought him had left profound prints on his character, which had already being reserved and wary. And not just that. The pressure that his family put on him had contributed in making him much more reserved, more distant and as consequence of it he had few friends. His wary attitude served as a protection against the people that surrounded him, because in his position he couldn't afford to make any kind of mistake, but…

How could one define Mai Tsi?

On a first impression, Wei hadn't liked the girl but had opted to know more about her before commenting something to his young master. And since Pak Mai Tsi had proved to be an adorable girl on so many aspects, he thought it had been a stupid sentiment to dislike her. Because it became clear that she, despite all, wasn't a bad person.

She was a beautiful young lady with very long black hair –with a certain bluish tone- and enigmatic light blue eyes, with good magical abilities and member of the powerful Pak Clan, that even though it was one of the most powerful Clans in Korea, it couldn't compete with the big Chinese clans. A girl with such a musical and captivating voice like that of a siren that had been completely stricken by Shaoran as soon as she met him.

And he had been enchanted by her beauty.

Everything seemed perfect: the heiress of a powerful clan of wizards of Korea, and the young chief of the most powerful clan of China. Even Shaoran's mother had been pleased with the relationship because both were at a marriageable age and it had become a sure fact that they were going to get married, his young master was happier than he had ever been and they were talking about setting a date. Both parties were very much in love.

Until the news reached their ears.

Against every protocol, and in secret, Mai Tsi got married to another man.

The youngest son of a family of wizards in Siam. A young man of vague looks, whose older brother ruled over the family imperiously and had exterminated the ancestral Clan of wizards that had possessed the most power on Siam. This had been the motive for which Shaoran, along with Mai Tsi and a comity of the council, was translated there to prevent the war from extending all over Asia.

She came back with him to China, but had returned to Siam with an excuse and there she got married, sending Shaoran a brief note as an explanation. No one expected something like that, and even though the engagement hadn't yet been announced, everyone knew of their relationship and their feelings for one another, for the news to not have been a surprise.

It had been a hard blow for Shaoran.

That had occurred a year ago. She had returned to Hong Kong –in company of her husband and her brother in law- for Lao's trial an also for the election of the new Chief of the Council, which turned out to be Shaoran , but though she tried to see him many times, he avoided her successfully and had only once greeted her with indifference.

But Wei knew he was still suffering.

Maybe that's why he doubted the wedding with Mei Ling. The chiefs of any wizard Clan had to marry very young because the changes on the modern world and the quarrels between wizards that were in favor or against of setting lose some or other catastrophe on the rest of humanity meant that his life was in danger much more than was convenient for the continuity of the family –it was this wise measure of weddings at an early age that had assured the continuity of the Li clan at the death of Shaoran's father, who had died very young- and that was a duty that the young man didn't ignore.

Because the revenge of Lao was eminent… what could the future bring?

-"Wei, I've decided" – He said after a long reflection- "I'm going to cast a spell to detect if some kind of magic has been performed on the people I know, or have met in the past."

-"That will be a wise measure, if it wasn't very exhausting at the same time for you my Lord" Wei commented, worried "but why cast it on every person that you know and have known in your life?... Why?

-"Because of what Lao Tsé said, he spoke about a plan that had begun a long time ago and I cannot allow innocent people to become involved on a wizard's revenge by the simple fact that they once met me."

-"And haven't you considered that many of those people have already been harmed? What could you do then?"

-"If that were the case, at least I'll try to repay them for what Lao did to them; besides, the spell won't be so hard on me as you think." He said after a pause. "I'll adjust the old magic board to indicate me which of the people that I know have been harmed by magic; it's the best I can think of."

-"Harmed with magic?"

-"The Lao are very clever Wei. If this idea of finishing the Li clan comes from way back, like Lao Tsé's comment seems to suggest, it's possible that they have harmed a lot of people, people who practice magic and those that do not. So I think it's going to be possible to easily detect the harm that they have caused on magical people… but that is not what worries me."

-"Then?"

-"I don't have friends within the magical communities Wei. You know that I don't feel very comfortable with those who practice magic."

-"Well my Lord, is just that the men your age that belong to the clans don't reach your level of power.

-"That has contributed greatly to the fact that I feel like a stranger between them, with some exceptions that eventually convinced me that friendship between people who use magic is dangerous." Both of them knew that he was referring to Mai Tsi "That's why it worries me. I have always felt better around common and regular people, ever since I was a kid, and that's what is really dangerous… Lao won't stop to think to harm those who cannot defend themselves."

-"However, hurting people with magical powers is a risk that even the Lao should consider; the law of the council sanctions such a penalty with death."

-"If the damage is proved Wei, only if the damage is proved. Do you think Lao is going to make the mistake of doing the obvious? No, he wouldn't do something like, invoke a thunder bolt to fall on an enemy, but he could invoke a storm or something like that, that could harm or kill whoever he wishes to, not just one person, but lots of people" Shaoran, cleverly reasoned. "And that is the hard part to prove… the natural disasters and the accidents, conjuring a spell that is going to allow me to detect that, is the thing that is going to cost me a lot of time, time and research…" He took his jacket. "My mother isn't back yet?"

-"No sir, you know that she went to your father's grave and when she does…"

-"Yes, it takes her a long time to comeback. Well, tell her that I went to the council's library to look for some books… I think I'll take the gray car."

Taking the keys of the mentioned car the young man got out with quick steps and in a moment, he was driving at a high speed on the street, with a weird feeling on his chest.

- "I just hope I haven't hurt somebody innocent" He murmured.

*****************

-"I'm home dad!" –Sakura said opening the door- "I'm sorry I'm late… you want me to help?"

-"No problem darling, don't worry" –replied her father while continuing his work on the kitchen- "besides you're the one with more reasons to celebrate… aren't you?

-"Well dad" –she said with a smile- "you won't deny that the end of a difficult semester is not reason to celebrate."

-"It makes me happy too" –answered her father, while starting to serve dinner- "at least we'll have more time to rest for couple of days."

-"Well I'm pretty happy! My grades are better than I expected and that gives me some time to relax." She continued after trying the fish. "this is delicious!"

-"I'm glad you like it. By the way, your friend Akira called you a while ago; he said that you had accepted to go camping but that later you told him that you couldn't go… is there something wrong? Why don't you want to hang out with your friends?"

-"No dad."

-"Haven't you been planning this trip for months… do you have a problem?"

-"No, well… I had been planning this for months, but something came up" She said a bit nervous. "Besides I didn't get permission at work and anyway I have other plans, I told Chisato and the rest of the group at the University of this problem, is just that Akira is very persistent."

-"Are you sure that you want to stay? Because I'll have to travel this year, the General Deans Reunion is…"

-"Don't worry about me dad!" –She interrupted him with a smile- "I have lots of plans and I won't have time to get bored… when are you leaving?"

-"Next week."

-"Then, we have enough time for you to rest a bit. Tomorrow I'll make breakfast and…"

After calming her father down, Sakura continued to chat and eat. But before she was finished she distractively said:

-"Do you know what I'm going to do tomorrow? I'm going to see Mrs. Sonomi, I called her a few days ago and she said I could visit her tomorrow."

-"Sonomi?" Her father asked, very surprised.

-"Yes… don't you remember her? Tomoyo's mother, from when I was at elementary school…"

-"Yes or course, Sonomi. I thought she wasn't in the country…"

-"She came back a couple of days ago and out of curiosity, I called her asking for Tomoyo. I didn't expect her to remember me, but she did!... then she asked me to go and see her, but since I was busy with my finals I had to wait until tomorrow… I really want to know how Tomoyo is doing!! I don't know what happened to her since she stopped writing to me when she went to that boarding school in the United States… but surely tomorrow I'll know what has happened!"

The professor nodded silently. He was glad that Sakura was constant with her affections and by remembering his daughter's old childhood friend he couldn't help but think how easy and happy his life had been back then… his life was still pleasant, and the company and vivacity of Sakura gave him the biggest of joys, but the same worry was always on his mind.

His son. How is Touya? Where could he possibly be? Is he alright?

He couldn't really be happy until he saw his son again.

The phone rang loudly at that moment. It was from the university. The vice-president had rushed the delivery of the records and the news unnerved Sakura's father. He didn't have the documents ready and they were asking for them to be delivered the very next day. So the dean had to quickly go back to the university so he could deliver his work according to the wishes of his superior and as consequence, Kero appeared in the kitchen, while Sakura washed the dishes.

-"So? Are you finally going to see Tomoyo's mother tomorrow?"

-"Yes. And don't think that doesn't please me. What about you? Did you find something?"

-"Nothing. I doubt Yue is in the city or at least close by. Maybe he's still sealed on Yukito and that's why I can't feel his presence."

-"Well, if you couldn't feel him I'll have to believe that Yukio's fine. Meanwhile I think I'll go practice with the cards a little bit before my father comes back."

-"Don't you think you're forgetting something?"

-"What?"

-"I want desert!"

-"It looks like there are some things that never change." She murmured

*****************

Chisato Kyo sighed while finishing putting away her belongings. She was going to have to take another travel bag besides that one. There was no way she could feel comfortable on that camping trip taking so little with her.

She had just talked with Akira over the phone. Sakura wasn't going to go to the camping trip. A shame. Sakura was a good friend and the liveliest person on the group and she really needed some cheering up for that camp because she hated the outdoors, but she let herself get involved by her friends. Resignation. Akira had told her that if she refused to go at the last minute he wouldn't speak to her again.

And she liked Akira a lot. Though he seemed to be interested in Sakura.

Fortunately Sakura didn't have a clue about that and that gave her hope, so she took her bathing suit and opened another travel bag to take it with her to the trip and at that moment she noticed some holes in it. That had been Ryo. That Little monster. What could she do? The lights next door gave her an idea and she quickly left the house. She knocked on the door. A lady with a kind face answered her.

-"Good evening, is Naoko home?" She asked with as much sweetness as she could muster. "I'd like to speak with her for a moment."

They made her come in instantly and in a moment, a lovely lady of approximately 19 years old came to meet her.

-"Hi Chisato. Were you looking for me?"

-"Yes. Well, I wanted to ask you a favor… Naoko, tomorrow I'm going camping with some friends from school and I just noticed that my bathing suit is ruined… you know my brother…" She felt a little ashamed confessing the reason for the visit. "Would you lend me yours?

-"Of course! Don't worry about it." Her neighbor calmed her down. "Hey, are you done with school?"

-"Yeah, you?"

-"I still have a few exams left." Naoko laughed. "But what is annoying me the most is that because of the exams I haven't been able to watch the latest horror movies that I borrowed from a friend."

-"Really? I love those kinds of movies too!"

-"Then as soon as you get back from your trip, I'll let you borrow the movies…my favorite one's are about ghost stories!"

-"Ghosts?" Chisato hid a smile. "Well yay for ghosts!...you know? I have a classmate at the faculty that would rather run 2.5 miles, swim against the current or participate on any sport competition than hear about things like theses… she's afraid of ghosts and every that has to do with them!"

-"Really? That's funny." Naoko said, suddenly thoughtful. "What you said reminded me of someone; a friend I had when I was little, very good with sports but with a deep dislike for ghost stories."

-"Well not everyone can be like us, have the same opinion… see ya!" Chisato said while waving good bye and the house's door closed. She began to think in a better mood. "Well, maybe it's best if Sakura doesn't come with us, otherwise Akira's attention would have all been on her…and to think she is afraid of ghosts but not of an uncomfortable camping trip… poor Sakura!

At her house, while she climbed the stairs, Naoko Yanahisawa thought happily:

-"A college girl that prefers to do sports rather than listen to ghosts stories. How much does that remind me of my good friend Sakura!"

_Author notes: Hello!... I'm here again and fulfilling the promise of bringing in the rest of the characters from the series little by little, so I can give the whole thing a more interesting turn. Do you guys think that Sakura and Kero are not doing enough? Patience. Everything has a reason for being the way it is. I'm sure that at this point you are wondering what has happened to the rest of the characters…well… just wait a little bit longer and you'll find out, because things are just beginning for our little Sakura and her friends…_

_As always leave comments, suggestions and/or throw rotten tomatoes in the review section._

_A small glimpse of the next chapter:_

_Sakura and Kero are surprised to discover what happened to Tomoyo… Sakura's father surprises everyone when he reveals where he is traveling and Kero decides to take advantage of the situation to convince Sakura to take more drastic measures to find everyone. Shaoran finds out that many people with whom he had once met in the past have suffered greatly and he feels responsible for it. He must now do something to stop it!_

_Meanwhile, someone else is on its way to Tokyo, but death decides to make an appearance… and if that wasn't enough, by Kero's insistence, things began to complicate themselves for Sakura when she meets again with…_

Chapter III: Unexpected News


	4. Chapter III

Chapter III: Unexpected News

"_Hello again diary__, I have many things I wan to tell you and I'm trying to remember them now… It's just that there're so many things happening that sometimes I really don't know where to begin!_

_Well then, today we captured a card with Tomoyo's help__… and I'm not saying that it was because she was just filming us! … Well, I captured it thanks to the fact that Tomoyo sang a beautiful song that even Mei ling and Li loved!... I believe that Tomoyo is the best friend I've ever had and it seems to me that she is the kindest girl in the world!... Kero says I'm right, because he has always been friends with Tomoyo… unlike Li, whom he always calls "snotty kid"-just like my disagreeable brother- and Mei ling, whom he bothered a lot last night because she has no magic… Well it's Kero!.._

_Thoug__h I must thank Li… it was thanks to his suggestion that I could record the song that Yukito just listened to, he really loved the song! Of course I didn't tell Li that I wanted to record that song for Yukito._

_After that__, I doubted if it was a good decision to record the song, my brother began to ask where did I get that recording and I don't know how the explanation came to me that Tomoyo had forgotten one of her audio recorders in the music classroom all night, of course Touya wasn't satisfied and would have liked to keep on asking, but Yukito and my dad told him they just wished to hear the song and Touya had to stop his questions… My dad is such a good person!... And Yukito too, of course…, He is so kind to me! He even tried to help me a bit with my math homework to thank me and… that made me very happy!_

_Sometimes Kero __makes me nervous. He is really disorderly and stubborn! Tonight I had to prepare him some jell-o for him to calm him down although my father helped me prepare it… if I don't pay him enough attention or if I don't give him candy he becomes really stubborn!. I don't even want to think of what he is capable of if I don't please him! sometimes it gets so hard…"_

**************************************************

The door of the elevator opened and Sakura shyly entered the lobby of the most elegant suite of the hotel. She didn't feel comfortable. She wasn't just visiting a person that she hadn't seen in a long time, so she couldn't help but feel shy and nervous. It wasn't that Mrs. Sonomi had mistreated her, but sometimes, as time goes by it tends to cool even the warmest friendship, so… What could time do to a spontaneous sympathy?

Mrs. Sonomi turned around to see her and Sakura stayed still. It wasn't, precisely, the elegance of the suite or the exotic flowers whose smell was almost intoxicating… no, it was Mrs. Sonomi who surprised Sakura, to the point of numbness, for a second. She looked the same as before! It seemed that 10 years had not gone by!

-"Mrs.…Mrs. Sonomi…good…good morning…"-She stuttered a little confused- "I'm Sakura Kinomoto, I've requested an appointment with you to…"

-"Sakura Kinomoto!"-Repeated Sonomi, contemplating with astonishment the beautiful girl that was in front of her- "it's incredible! … It can't be possible!"

-"Yes, it's me… don't you remember me?... you told me by phone that I could come and…"

-"Of course I remember you, dear…"- She said gesturing for her to sit down in front of a tea table- "what happened is that you surprised me a bit… now you are a young woman and furthermore… You look just like your mother!... for a second I thought you were you mother, Oh my dear Nadeshiko… it makes me so happy to see you again!" said Sonomi smiling. "How are you?... you have no idea how happy it makes me that you came to visit me today! And what do you do now? … You told me by phone that you are living in Tokyo?"

-"Yes, ma'am"- answered the girl softly- "five years ago my family and I came to Tokyo…"

-"And what do you do now?... cause I suppose that you are studying something… or are you working?"

-"In fact I'm studying journalism at Tokyo University… and I work as a waitress in my spare time and…"

-"What's that about you working as a waitress?!... But how can your father allow that?... Are you in need of something?"

-"No, is not that precisely… what happens is that I'm not a little girl anymore and I like to earn a little money by myself and dad gets it, furthermore I don't need anything because my dad is Dean of the Archaeology Faculty in Tokyo's University and he earns enough for us to live well. It's just that I like to be a little independent… and what can you tell me about you and Tomoyo?... because although you may not believe it and despite all the time that I have without seeing her, I think that I study journalism because of Tomoyo's influence with that mania that she had with photography and video cameras!"- Sakura said smiling.

-"Well…then…"-replied Sonomi, hesitating-"Tomoyo is fine, she is really fine, she is in Paris at this very moment because she decided to become a fashion designer and as far as I know it's going well… she is now well known in the fashion world!... but since designers don't use their real names, maybe that's why you don't know about her… well, I found out from a Parisian newspaper that she has managed to associated herself with a very important fashion house … she is so smart and beautiful!...but…"

She stayed quiet for a second, as if she didn't know what to say…

-"But… why do you say it in that tone? Tomoyo's fine right?"

-"Yes. Well, she is ok…But even though she is still young she is already a celebrity in her field and you can tell, of course, that she is a successful person, but…"

-"But?"

-"She has changed a lot. Tomoyo isn't the kind and lovely girl that you knew a long time ago; actually we have seen each other once or twice this year… and last time, it was because we coincided in an event, but nothing else. She lives alone in an apartment in Paris and her personality… it has changed in a way that you wouldn't be able to believe…"

-"That's impossible! Tomoyo is the kindest girl that I've known in my life!...How could she have changed?...besides Tomoyo and you loved each other a lot … she can't have changed!"

-"Tomoyo changed a lot Sakura. It happened right after her father and I divorced … she… she, well, the truth is that it affected her more than I expected…"- She replied sadly-"After that, when I got her out of that boarding school in the USA she was never the same… things changed between us and I was so occupied businesses traveling that I think that I wasn't close enough to listen to her when she needed me…"

-"I'm sorry Mrs. Sonomi. But Tomoyo… well… she didn't seemed to be close to her dad… It was, maybe, that fact that she felt a little… alone… I don't think that the problem isn't something that you can't solve by speaking alone for a time… I'm sure that Tomoyo loves you."

-"No Sakura. If it were that easy... You have no idea how much I would like to speak to Tomoyo as much as it is necessary for us to solve our differences… I would like her to be just like you are right now!... if she had just continued being my sweet little girl!... but I'm afraid that she avoids me when I visit her and that hurts me a lot…"

-"Please, don't be sad because of me. The last thing I want is to make you remember sad memories…"

-"None of that Sakura…On the contrary. Seeing you again has filled me with happiness… happiness that I haven't had for a long time…"

-"Well, then let me make you a little bit happier"- She replied opening her purse and smiling- "Would you allow me to serve you the tea? ... I brought some delicious cookies!... my father baked them just before I came here and I was thinking of sharing them with you…"

- "Your father?"

-"Yes. He is a great cook and I still can't prepare them like him, though I try a lot. He sends you his greetings and he himself insisted on my bringing you some cookies."

Sonomi stayed quiet while Sakura served the tea.

She was thinking.

She was thinking of so many things and of nothing at the same time. A long time had passed since she had last seen little Sakura, but she saw with happiness, that the daughter of her dear Nadeshiko had grown up till she became a beautiful, happy young woman. It was ironic. She had always grabbed onto the idea that Fujitaka hadn't deserved Nadeshiko and deep inside she thought that Fujitaka couldn't make Sakura grow up as happy as her mother would have liked… nevertheless… nevertheless it was she who had failed… but maybe if Sakura talked to Tomoyo again, Sakura could help her recover her daughter…"

-"Wouldn't you like Tomoyo's phone number?"- Sonomi said – "Or her E-mail address?... maybe it would be good for you two to communicate" She added with a sad smile.

**************************************

-"I can't believe it, that's impossible!"

-"I'm not deceiving you Kero. That was exactly what Mrs. Sonomi told me and don't think I'm happy about it… what could have motivated Tomoyo to distance herself from her mother?... it seems that they don't have a good relationship now and that's something hard for me to understand … I have always remembered Tomoyo as a sweet girl!... I'm worried…also, with what her mother told me I don't if I should call her or send her an E-mail… maybe she is so busy that she won't remember me…"

-"Well, I can't easily believe what you are telling me Sakura. Tomoyo is… well, she was always so kind… and she was such a good cook too!... I still remember her food and I want to cry… What could have happened to her?"

-"Sakura!"- It was her father's voice, knocking on the door of her room- "Dinner is ready!"

-"Ok dad, I'll go down in a minute"-She said while walking towards the door – "Listen Kero… wait for me here and think of what we are going to do next."

When she went down to dinner with her father, Sakura couldn't do anything but feel very sad. The words and expression of Mrs. Sonomi were hard to forget and this sad demeanor did not go unnoticed by her father.

-"It's just that I can't… I just don't understand what could have happened between the two for their relationship to end this way… dad, you knew Tomoyo, and she has always been very kind…and all that stuff… well, what we are, can't change just like that… it's…it's strange."

-"It's clear that something else happened between them Sakura. Even you say that your friend wasn't close to her father so how could the divorce affect her that way?"

- "Dad: Tomoyo never spoke about her father… she never saw him… So could his permanent absence affect her in such a way as to separate her from her mother completely…? She and her mother were too close to each other… and the personality change that Mrs. Sonomi told me … It's hard for me to believe it."

-"Tomoyo always seemed to me a very sweet girl and maybe deep inside that hasn't changed, what I believe, as I told you, is that something else occurred between them or something made Tomoyo change her attitude towards people, hiding her real self, using it as a protection… whatever happened to her, hurt her in such a way that she now guards herself from her surrounding so that she doesn't get hurt again."

-"Do you really believe that dad?"

-"Yes. You are right in one thing: It's very hard to radically change somebody's personality just by a simple whim. And when we are kids we are more sincere and open so it's easier to express who we are than when we grow up… the circumstances make us change a bit… or they make us adapt who we are to all that surrounds us… maybe your friend is just like her mother told you… but, just like you said, deep inside she is still the same sweet and kind girl that she used to be… perhaps she needs a friend to help her remember who she really is… even if it is at a distance…"

-"Thank you dad. You are the best. You have now idea how much, what you have said, has cheered me up! I've been doubting whether I should communicate with her or not, but now I'm doing it!…"- She replied, thoughtful- "but Mrs. Sonomi's sadness still causes me sorrow… I believe that she feels like she has failed as a mother and that must be hard for her."

-"Well, if you can communicate with Tomoyo, maybe you could, little by little… help make things just like when you were little girls."

-"That's right!" – She said with happiness and began to eat her pasta- "Hey dad… changing the subject, you didn't tell me where your meeting was going to be next week…"

-"Didn't I tell you? – He commented absent-mindedly- "I think that, at that moment you were telling me about that camping trip that you refused to attend… well, I still have time to prepare the luggage though I would prefer to buy some clothes in Hong Kong…"

-"Hong Kong??!"- Sakura almost screamed

-"HONG KOOONNNGGG!?"- A small voice replied in the kitchen.

-"What was that?" - Mr. Kinomoto stood up a little worried, almost walking towards the kitchen.

-"Umm?"- Sakura took her father's arm, Kero was prying in the kitchen and had listened to everything that they had discussed- "Wait! I'll go!"- She said almost running towards the kitchen.

She found Kero stuffing his face with pasta…

-"What do you think you are doing?"- She said in low voice- "You aren't just eating all the food in my kitchen… where my father can catch you! But you are also screaming in such a way… what was your purpose?... kill us with fright?"

-"Don't be angry Sakura"- He answered after he finished chewing- "It's just that your father surprised me with all that stuff about Hong Kong… Besides you are in your vacations"- his eyes shined- "Doesn't this seem to you like a brilliant opportunity?"

-"Fo… for what? "- She said, getting agitated.

-"To go to Hong Kong… I've already told you… if we tell the snooty kid, we could get everybody together and do it easily… maybe we could even find your brother."

-"Really? We would know where he lives?"

-"Of course."

-"Sakura… what's going on?"

-"Nothing dad"- She replied, she came back to him with a great smile in her face- "I'm with you in a second"- She said before she went back to the kitchen again- "But Kero… that plan is not convincing me… I want to know where my brother is but I'm going to die of embarrassment if I present myself in front of Syaoran… think of another way!"

-"There's not another way… it's a unique opportunity: there's nothing strange about accompanying your father… and while you go shopping you can stop by his house and…"

- "No, no and no!!!!!!!!" - She said moving her arms agitatedly- "I won't do that, I won't go!"

-"God can you be stubborn…"- Insisted the plush doll- "It's the best…"

-"No, No and no!!!!!!!!!"

-"Well, if you don't go… I'll…"- A brilliant idea crossed his mind- "I'm going to get out of this kitchen and show myself to your dad!!!!"

-"Kero!!!!"

-"Come on, Sakura. Decide" - Said the little doll crossing his arms with decision and flying to the open door.

-"Sakura?... what's happening?... do you need help?"

-"No dad!"- She quickly said and, after looking again at Kero's decided face, she added- "Fine. You win. I'll go to Hong Kong. But there will be nothing you can do to make me go to that house!"

-"Ok"- Kero responded slyly- "But you won't deny me the pleasure of visiting some other sorcerers from there… since you don't want to go visit that boy, maybe other sorcerers can be helpful."

-"I think that's better"- She sighed- "That's a fact… but now you better go to my room before my father sees you!"

Her father was a bit surprised when she asked him if she could accompany him, and the idea was, of course, wonderful to him. And when after that, Sakura went to her room after doing the dishes, Fujitaka Kinomoto observed Sakura's shape and became thoughtful… poor Sonomi!... he had Sakura with him… but he couldn't forget his son and that's why he knew what her wife's cousin was going through…

************************************

Syaoran descended from his private enclosure with a face that motivated that nobody from the Li clan – or any person in his/her right mind-stood in front of him. He went by Mei ling without talking to her and shut himself in his room for the rest of the afternoon. His cousin noticed that he was still wearing his ceremonial suit – he looked really handsome!!- and as he had been working on a secret spell that nobody seemed to have any idea of what it was- though she suspected that Wei knew more than he let on- she didn't doubt that the origin of his behavior had something to do with it.

What could be that thing that had him so worried?

Since she knew that she couldn't do anything to help him – sometimes his reserve tired her, but there was no remedy for it- she didn't have any other option but to send Wei to see him with a tea tray, after all, Wei was the only person that could be classified as a friend and confident of his cousin.

The old man found the young chief of the clan in a depressed state difficult to describe. It wasn't like the one that occurred right after the canceled wedding with Mai Tsi, his brilliant eyes reflected something like sorrow mixed with…blame?

-"Are you feeling well master Li?"

The young man, that had stopped looking at the floor when he saw the old man coming into the room, could hardly contain his desperation… but finally he couldn't contain himself for long and said rapidly and in one breath…

-"I've realized it too late Wei! Too late!!"-He said closing his eyes, as if he couldn't bear the old man's surprised look at such an exclamation.- "Don't you understand?... I don't know how I could be so stupid to not notice it before…"

-"But sir… what do you mean? Has the spell failed?... with all the time it took to prepare it…"

-"No Wei. The spell was appropriate and effective. Enough to know that thanks to all the hate that Lao has for me and the Li clan, he has caused a lot of damage to many people whose only crime is to have met me or liked me in any way." He replied, with a deep sadness. "And it has all been my fault!..."

-But sir, maybe you could do something to help the people that Lao has harmed…"

- "I've been thinking that too… but there're some people that I wont be able to help in any way… do you remember my old friend from Junior High, Tao Piang?..."- The old man nodded – "Well… he is dead… apparently he died from an overdose of sleeping pills…"

-"That can't be your fault, my lord."

-"You really think so?... the spell that I performed allowed me to follow magical residues and I discovered some residues around him and now I know that when he couldn't get into a good university the hallucinations that he had weren't hallucinations at all… they were magical illusions … and in his desperation to get rid of the hallucinations he took all those pills that killed him…"

-"It can't be possible…! Are you sure?"

-"Yes, and that's not the worst thing because he's not the only case. Of all the people that I have known without magical powers and that have felt some type affection for me, there are at least 9 that have died in circumstances apparently natural or accidental, by all that I have been able to discover, they had magic around them before they died… the harm that all the sorcerers I know have suffered is not very great… well they have been harmed, but in a very indirect way"- He sighted. –"Well that's all I allowed the spell to show me…"

-"You didn't finish the spell?"

-"No, I couldn't keep on watching how all the people that I've known have paid with accidents or deaths that were seemingly natural the fact that they once had my sympathy…I decided to look for the worst…to see if there were deaths and now I know that there have been…"

-"But… you still don't know if there are more people that have been harmed by Lao, besides those that are already dead?"

-"No, I didn't feel with the enough strength to continue after knowing about all those deaths…"

-"You are planning on leaving it just like that Master Li?"

-"Of course not!- He said with his accustomed energy- "It's just that I felt horrible for what happened to those 9 people… what outrages me the most is the fact that I cannot prove that Lao was behind all of this…"

-"But if you follow the progress of his magic when he's hurting someone, maybe you could prove it to the Council."

-"That's my only hope…"- The old man then offered him tea – "No, I can't eat now… I just stopped to recover some strength, but I'm already well." – He tried to get up from the chair he was sitting on but he almost fell to the floor had the old man not held him- "I'm just a bit tired and depressed but it will pass… I must complete the spell to track Lao's magic!"

-I believe that for now it's better if you rest… if the spell is incomplete that means that the traces of the power that you invoked have hurt you and it has weakened your strength, it could even cause you great damage if you don't recover properly."

-"Yes. I know that it was stupid to leave the spell incomplete and I deserve the damage upon my body… but I couldn't bear the remorse…"- He continued- "But I cannot allow this clumsiness to keep hurting others."

-"But if you are weak you won't be able to complete the spell properly and then you could even die when receiving all that magic upon yourself. And if you die you won't be able to help anybody."

Syaoran clenched his fists but he stayed quiet. Wei was right. He had to stay alive and strong to protect his clan and the people that could get hurt by Lao's magic. He would have to rest for some days.

But later… later he would make sure of protecting the next victim from Lao's revenge.

If only he had some help.

*********************************

The teenagers ran almost stepping on themselves with the hurry. They had just left school – which they wouldn't come back in a few days because of the break at the end of the first semester – and they hadn't found the person they were looking for in the teacher's lounge. More than one was on the verge crying but Ms. Sato told them he had just left. That information motivated the massive stampede of students to leave and this bought a smile to Ms. Sato lips. Definitely everybody was going to miss him.

The news had fallen in the school like a bomb and many girls had written indignant and crying letters to school's office to manifest their sadness. All the teachers had laughed a lot when they found out about this, but they had been expecting such a reaction. It was well known that all the girls in the school were in love with their colleague. The thing wasn't surprising because he was handsome, kind, just 26 years old and taught math in a school full of boys and girls full of hormones.

Everybody had been a witness to the enormous amount of letters-that appeared everyday- in his locker, and all the professors often made bets to determine the amount of time it would take him to finally get angry…but so far everybody had lost.

It seemed that he was unable to become angry.

Even when he was in his class and he noticed that all the girls were looking at him and were not paying attention to what he was saying. He always seemed to take it with patience even when he had to help one of those students later – because that had also happened to him and everybody had been a witness of that, being the motive of jokes from the other teachers- he always assisted them and asked them questions in turn, always keeping a calm disposition. And all the other professors continued to joke about it, at least until last year.

Everybody knew that his wife's death had been a horrid misfortune to him. He didn't have many relatives and he had been in that accident too. But while he left that place with many contusions – for which he had to stay in the hospital 2 months – her death had been instantaneous.

And all that occurred before celebrating one year of marriage.

He had been strong in spite of his sadness, but Ms. Sato knew that his wife's photo had been in his locker till today, the last day he had been in the school: where he met Keiko when she was helping at the school's clinic… because she was a medical student. They had married a year after they had met each other – the students had made a real life Greek drama when they found out about it – but they had been the happiest couple that she had seen as long as the marriage lasted.

Till the accident.

An earthquake had provoked the cave in of the train station and many people had been trapped in the wreckage. Many people had died because of the accident and Keiko had been one of them. That's why she wasn't surprised that he had, by any means possible, searched for a job away from the city where he had so many bad memories.

Meanwhile the students – after a long run –saw a male figure that was moving away, carrying a portfolio and they called him yelling:

-"Sensei, sensei!!"

The alluded, a man of 26 years and regular height stopped.

-"How are you guys?... Have I forgotten something?"

-"No sen… no sensei"- They answered him while catching their breath– "What happens is that we haven't said good bye…"

-"And we wanted to give you a farewell gift!" – A boy in the group said.

-"Yes! We are going to miss you a lot!" – A girl protested.

- "Why do you have to go?"– Another boy asked

- "Yeah!... please don't go sensei! "– Another girl begged.

- "You are too kind"-He answered them with a smile that caused all the girls there to lose their breaths again- "But I think that I've already explained to you that you are in good hands… Ms. Sato will replace me in all of my classes and I'm sure that you'll feel comfortable with her that I'll be lucky if you still remember me afterwards… She is a great teacher."

-"Ms. Sato is beautiful"- Some of the boys supplied.

-"Yes, she is. I just hope that you'll give her the respect that she deserves."

-"We know. Bu still, we are going to miss you a lot Tsukishiro sensei!"- The girls cried with handkerchiefs in their hands.

- "Maybe, we'll meet again someday guys, the world keeps on spinning and the truth is , as I have told you before, I've been very lucky in having been accepted at that place… although I must move to Tokyo to take the job…"

-"That's right sensei!"- A boy reasoned- "I would like to be there too!"

-"Well, Tsukishiro sensei is an excellent math teacher"- Said another boy with comprehension in his face- "And that's why he got a job as a teacher in Clamp Academy… it's understandable… I'm going there next year."

-"Don't be silly Takeo"- A girl reproached him – "Everybody knows Clamp Academy only accepts students with intelligence levels higher than the normal student and you could never fit in that category."

-"How dare you?"

-"Stop now guys. Don't fight. Thanks a lot for all this and thanks for the gift you brought me"- He replied taking the packet from the hands of a girl that was looking at him spellbound- "What is it?" –He smiled a bit when he opened it- "Thank you guys!!!... A picture frame."

-"It's able to hold two pictures sensei!"

-"We put a picture in there of all of us… for you to remember us"- Cried a boy that was standing at the back of the group because nobody had allowed him to get close to the professor, he blushed as he spoke.

-"We also put another one in, that we thought is very important for you…" Said another boy with the typical expression of class president, while the rest of the group grabbed the previous boy and pulled him, again, to the back of the group so that Tsukishiro sensei couldn't see him blushing.

But at that moment the professor was looking with all his attention to the second picture were he appeared in front of an empty table next to a lovely girl of wavy and long dark brown hair, with smiling gray eyes.

He smiled sadly.

-"Did we bother you sensei?"- A delegate from one of his other classes asked him.

-"See?"- Protested a girl from yet another class- "I told you that it was a bad idea!"

-"No. On the contrary. You don't know how much I thank you… really"- He told them affably – "I didn't have this picture…where did you guys get it?"

-"Professor Sato had it sensei…"- Another girl intervened, she had been busy watching every movement that the professor made- "I have a small question… why did you pose before an empty table?"

-"It was empty because we had just dined… I remember that they had just carried out the plates and after that Aya insisted in taking a picture with her camera."

Everybody laughed… professor Tsukishiro's appetite was well known in the school. Even Professor Aya Sato had once commented about it to her students and after that all the girls always offered their lunch to Mr. Tsukishiro, although everybody knew that he never gained any weight without importance to the great quantities of food that he managed to ingest. Finally and after a conversation that lasted many minutes more, the students left, though a pair of girls insisted in staying a bit more.

One of them doubted whether she should give him or not one last love letter to her favorite teacher and the other girl encouraged her, that's why they had stayed behind. Having fun with the situation, the teacher smiled and he looked towards the highway… In the same corner, a bus had just turned at a great speed while, because of the neglect of a young mother, who was looking at the clothes in a store, a 3 year old little girl was trying to get her ball that had stopped in the middle of the road.

It all happened too quickly. The bus tried to slow down but it wasn't able to do it in time and the petrified scream of the mother froze everyone who was walking in the street, while the ball tore open with the impact.

The two girls were speechless. The cries of the little girl who was blood stained made the people gather around the place and while some called an ambulance others sustained their silence. Only the little girl made a sound every time someone tried to touch her– even her crying mother- so the people began to whisper that she had at least one or more broken bones. The only one that had remained immobile had been the man that had protected the little girl receiving the impact with his body; he was now in the middle of a blood pool, motionless, still embracing the little girl, while his destroyed glasses and his portfolio laid a couple of meters away in the middle of the street.

His two students had begun to cry, until finally one of them ran to the school, to warn everybody that professor Yukito Tsukishiro had just had an accident and that he was probably dead already…

**************************************

Sakura was really angry. She had gone shopping in Hong Kong's downtown with Kero hidden in her bag, but the sympathetic small animal had mentioned his plan of looking for Syaoran's house and that was something that she was most definitely not prepared to do. They were supposed to be looking for other sorcerers that could help them, but it had been one of Kero's lies!!... He was picking up some really bad habits… how was he able to come up with such a thing? So, deciding that she wasn't going to think about that anymore, she had allowed him to get out of her purse and fly alone in the direction that he had been insisting on taking her without uttering a single word to him… Kero had been really stubborn lately and sometimes that made her nervous… Why couldn't he understand that a situation like that was extremely embarrassing for her?... A person cannot simply show up after 10 years at the door of someone who had almost become her "childhood boyfriend" without any previous communication…What was that small doll waiting for?... Who did he think he is?... This was something that she couldn't take anymore!!!!!

Not very far from there, the old board began to glow and to point with a straight light line towards one of the crowded streets with shoppers and a very worried young man saw the need to leave his luxurious car to better follow the light until he could reach the person who was in danger of been attacked by Lao's magic. Who could that person be? He had to find it out…

Sakura then saw a ray light appear from between all the people, it looked like it was following her. Why her? What could she have done now? Since she did not want to find out she began to run, while in her frightened mind many questions materialized.

-_What's this? … Why is it following me??_" -She thought while she ran as fast as she could down the street- _"Nobody else seems to see this thing…what's going on?....Ayyy!... Where is Kero?... I need to get out of here… I must keep on running!!!-_ Something increased her panic, a weird sensation-_ "This cannot be happening!... There are a lot of people here but still I feel like someone is following me… what's going on???"-_ She tried to hide in an empty alley but the ray of light and quick steps behind her followed her and not able to contain herself anymore- "Help!!!! Someone please help!!!"

-"Wait!, I want to help you!"- A man's voice replied behind her.

-"Help! Help!"- She kept on shouting.

In an instant she felt somebody throw himself against her and both- She and the other person- rolled down the floor while a noise- of something falling at the same time that they did- echoed in the alley way. Instantly, and before the other person had chance to react, she took her handbag and began to deliver strong blows to the head of a tall young man that was beside her.

-"Get away from me! Stop following me!... Did you actually believe that I was defenseless?... Who do you think you are?" –Sakura shouted trying to hide her fear, while the young man could hardly protect himself from her deadly handbag.

-"Stop it!, stop hitting me!... that really hurts!"- He took hold of the bag and both struggled- "Stop!, I just want to help you!"

-"Me?... Why?..."

-"I'm not sure anymore… it seems that you can take care of yourself."-He replied with anger in his handsome face- "Although I may be wrong… I don't think you need protection… I don't know you."

-"And why were you following me with that ray of light or whatever it was?"

-"You saw it?"- He was surprised- "It's amazing!"- He looked at her carefully for a second and then blinked, confused- "Your face… I don't know."

Sakura blinked, confused too and for a while both of them examined each other with much attention. Next minute they both noticed their inspections of one another and both looked away while they both blushed violently…

-"_Great"!_- Sakura thought– _"An authentic good looking guy follows me around Hong Kong and I hit him with my bag… now, how do I fix this thing?...besides…wait…did he follow me with a ray of light?"_

-_She's…she's a very…very pretty girl"_- He thought confused while he looked at her sideways again- _"but…why did the board point at her?...maybe the spell didn't turn out as well as I hoped…but why was she able to see the light?... if she was able to see it then that means that she has magical powers… that face… I don't know"-_ He looked at her again and Sakura caught him this time- _"Great!"-_ He thought angrily, while he blushed again- _"Why is she so beautiful… If she weren't this beautiful I wouldn't be so embarrassed every time I look at her…"_

-"Hey…How did you create that light ray?... Do you use it to pursue women?"

-"Of course not! I'm not a pervert!"

-"Then?"

-"The light comes out of that board and…"- He pointed at the thing that was on the floor not far from them- "Why are you looking at it so much?"

-"Nothing, It's just that it seems familiar to me…"

-"Familiar?"

At that moment a little being, quite similar to a plush toy with wings in its back, appeared flying between them.

-"Good job Sakura!"- He shouted while moving his little legs- "You did well!"

-"What are you talking about?"- She stuttered.

-"Look here ex-snotty kid!"- Kero continued talking to the confused Syaoran- "We need your help! "

-"You… you are Kerberos…"- The guy whispered, a little confused while he pointed at Kero- "And If you are Kerberos… she's…"

-"That board…"-Sakura was looking at it with attention- "I saw it many times when I was a child… and it was in the hands of…"

-"Come on!... Haven't you recognized each other?"- Kero laughed –"Why are you looking and pointing at each other in that way?"

-"SAKURA????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

-"SYAORAN???????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

_Author's Notes: Hello again! Here I am with cha__pter 3… I know that by this time someone wants to kill me but wait…wait a little bit more so that you can understand the story, and I assure you everything is going to make sense, I just ask for a little bit of patience ^u^. Well, now, about Clamp Academy…what is going to happen?... will I make a cross over? I don't know…._

_As always comments, suggestions, or rotten tomatoes please go to the review section._

_A small glimpse of the next chapter:_

_We find out what happens to other characters!!! Sakura and Syaoran began to clearly see the problem they have in front of them and they also began to confront a couple of perils, while Mei Ling feels left out. We are finally going to meet Lao. Meanwhile, Sonomi begins to think about some of the things that separated her from Tomoyo and she remembers a conversation she once had with someone, Yukito sees his life pass in front of his eyes and Kero begins to seriously worry…_

Chapter IV: Facing old memories…


	5. Chapter IV

Chapter IV: Facing old memories

_Today I had a hard day…Tomoyo and I went to look for an amulet and we ended up in a labyrinth with Li and Mei Ling. We were really scared but fortunately professor Mizuki helped us out…I really like professor Mizuki!...but Li says that he doesn´t trust her and that she is not all that she appears to be, but I don´t think that…_

_I don´t know why Li is always saying that about professor Mizuki, to me she seems very kind…Why is he always distrustful? Sometimes I don´t understand him… however, he always believes everything that Yamasaki says…who understand him? ...well I have to admit, sometimes it is difficult to know when Yamasaki is telling the truth and when he is not..._

The afternoon seemed to end very slowly looking through the Café's window; after a few minutes of heavy silence Sakura sighted.

It certainly was an embarrassing situation.

Her walk in Hong Kong -she had accompanied her father in his trip to the dean's meeting- had finished in an unusual way. Not only had she gone through a scary situation when a ray of light began to point at her on the street but this had resulted in a chase that finished in a Hong Kong alley, when a very handsome young man had intercepted her and she had answered hitting him with her purse and all the force she had…

That in itself was weird but still there was one more surprise.

That guy was Syaoran.

If the idea of presenting herself in his house had been embarrassing, the real situation had been worse… she had no idea of what she should tell him!

While the girl looked at her bulky purse with excessive attention -to hide her confusion- Syaoran was also in the same situation… well, he had also spent almost 10 years since he had last seen her, and the last time he had seen her he had been really nervous to qualify that last interview as a topic of conversation….

That was the problem.

He remembered the last time he saw her too clearly.

And the worst thing was that with the memory alone his face was becoming redder and redder. He knew that it was ridiculous to feel like this… he had been just a child then!... but he could not avoid it and that was uncomfortable for him…he was an adult now, the chief of the Li Clan and despite his youth he had been cataloged –during the last meeting of the Orient Wizard's Council- as the more powerful wizard in the world… but even so, he felt ridiculous.

It was as if 10 years had not gone by and they were still timid stuttering little children… not knowing how to say they liked each other.

With this thought his face became even redder.

How could he think about those things now?... It was enough! ... He looked sideways at Sakura and saw her looking at her purse with excessive attention reflected in her bright green eyes, while her hair gently poured over her shoulders. She looked lovely and beautiful. When she was a girl she had been sort of comic, but definitely the changes in 10 years had favored her a lot. Wait a minute, was he crazy? He had already fallen for a lovely girl and she had done much damage to him because he had been too trusting. He really wanted to stick it in his head that a lovely girl could be just as dangerous to him as a gun or a mortal magic spell against him.

He coughed a little to hide his disturbance.

In the field of women he barely had any experience. Well, Mai Tsi had been his girlfriend, but outside of her, he hardly knew any girls of his own age. With the responsibilities of the Li Clan and his studies he hardly had time to have a conversation. It wasn´t that he didn´t know any girls but he knew he was a bit shy and it was embarrassing to think that someone could know about it. So that's why he hid behind his usual reserve and distrust… at least until Mai Tsi came along.

Wait a minute, why did he remember his disastrous relationship with Mai Tsi when he looked at Sakura?

Maybe because Mai Tsi had seemed charming just by looking at her… well Sakura didn't look so charming every time he remembered her hitting him with her purse, besides it was time to think about the serious problem with Lao and his revenge.

The waitress finished serving coffee and placing sweets on the table finally walking away leaving them alone in the private that Syaoran had asked for. So the moment that the door closed, Sakura´s purse opened and Kero rushed himself over to the closest piece of cake.

-"Cake, cake! I knew it!" – He said while drooling – "Sakura, Is this my piece? Which one is my piece?"

-"You can eat this one" – Syaoran said, giving him his portion- "but I think the first thing we have to talk about is why you are here, in Hong Kong… do you live here now?"

-"No, I am accompanying my father to a Dean's meeting from different universities… this year the reunion is taking place here."

-"Ok then," – He looked very seriously at Kero who was eating his cake with big mouthfuls- "one more thing Kerberos… when you appeared, you said that you are looking for my help… what's the matter?"

Sakura tilted her head. Syaoran had completely taken her out of the conversation.

Kero looked carefully at the young man in front of him and became very thoughtful. Not only had Syaoran not called him "little doll" –as he used to do when he was a child to bother him- but his entire personality seemed more serene and at the same time, more alert. And Kerberos didn´t miss the fact that his magical powers were very developed. In fact he had only felt that amount of power and magical ability in one man, and that man had been his creator, Lead Clow.

Kero sighed and then began to explain everything.

Rika Sasaki dropped on the counter a little tired but maintaining her smile. There were some people in front of the register machine and the shop-assistant was happy to take her place so that she could begin to attend people. The bookstore was full of children and parents and that made her feel happy. Things could not be better.

Management classes were a bit complicated, but with her inexhaustible patience, she had decided to bring them forward, more so since the bookstore opened its doors.

It absolutely was the business of her dreams. The bookstore had opened almost a month ago –after arduous work looking for the perfect location- and fortunately the neighborhood seemed to have taken them in. Even though Tokyo had some problems – lately it had been suffering various earthquakes, but people seemed used to them - the zone where she had located her shop had been affected very little.

Things seemed to go well. Her store was located close to the famed Campus Clamp and that had proved to be quite advantageous in sales and in other aspects. Also her shop seemed to remind her of the store that –when she was a girl- she used to visit in Tomoeda allowing her to…

The door opened again and a young man with short dark hair came in to the store in a hurry.

-"I am sorry I'm late!" – He apologized while leaving his books behind the counter.

-"It's ok"–said Rika quietly- "No problem, I just got here too, but it's not me you should be apologizing to, your audience has been waiting for you for over 20 minutes."

-"Story, story!" –A group of children began to shout when the young man entered.

-"Yes, yes, let's begin"- He told them, always smiling despite the fact that the small children were pressing themselves against him. "First sit down on the carpet and get comfortable" He told them and the little children, which none of them looked older than six years of age, immediately obeyed him displaying how used they were to his stories. "Ok let's begin" –the smiling young man said- "this story has to do with a little girl, magical shoes and a witch… also there are 3 different beings: a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion…"

-"Is it the "Wizard of Oz"? "–asked a little girl.

-"Well, it does have something to do with the Kingdom of Oz." He told her, never losing his smile despite the interruptions he suffered. "Did you guys know that there is more than one girl in Oz that possessed magical shoes?"

-"Ohhhhh!"

-"This little fact was kept secret for the sake of the shoemaker, so that the wicked witch wouldn't begin to persecute him for making all those magical shoes…. because you guys know of course that magical shoemakers are highly valued in bedtime stories and also in the real world… did you know that in antiquity, magical shoemakers had an even higher rank than a magician or a king, there are a lot of legends that tell us about many magical shoemakers…."

And there he went again…. there are some things that never change. She sighted and got out from behind the counter to murmur in the ear of his old friend.

"Hey, wouldn't it be better if you just tell the story and not the things that you come up with? What you are saying qualifies as a lie."

He only answered her with his usual smile and Rika sighted. She was really patient but she knew by know that she should be used to his oddity of a friend. She knew him since they were both in elementary school, and although she had not seen him for a long time, a year ago they had met each other once again at some reunion and since then they had maintained constant communication.

The horrible things that Yamazaki's family suffered had interested her a lot. Even thought it was hard to know when Yamazaki lied or when he told the truth she had confirmed that everything was true. First, his house had burned down and not long after, while moving to Tokyo-with what little possessions he had after the fire- the entire family had died when their car fell of a cliff and even if Takashi had been lucky enough to survive, he had come out with a lot of problems. University was really expensive. A good part of his inheritance was specially set apart for his education, but after the hospital and funeral charges, there was little money left for him to use for something else; but even thought he had suffered, he never lost an ounce of his good humor. He lived in a small- but cheap- room, in one of the poorest quarters of Tokyo, but he was still the same. The only thing that made him lose his smile was mentioning the death of his family. And while he had two or three jobs to live well, he was keeping up with his studies and when Rika found out about his problems she had given him the job of reader and cashier in her newly opened store. In contrast to him, her family had had a very good run in Osaka, but since she had decided to try her fortune in the capital, her parents had trusted her common sense and had supported her, not only in her decision to move but also by giving her the ownership of one of the stores that they were about to open.

She sighted when she saw the amazed faces of the little children hanging on to every single one of his lies.

He was studying to become a lawyer and she didn't find that a bad idea. After all, if he could always say all those lies with much conviction, she didn't doubt one bit that he was going to be any less convincing while defending or prosecuting someone, but studying that career didn't come cheap, and by being alone in the city, her friend needed all the help possible, even if he wasn't easy to handle.

She had never had a boyfriend. She had always been a very mature girl and she looked for more spirituality in young men rather than entertainment or good looks. While Yamazaki knew this- she still called him by his last name just like when they were kids- he always brought to the store the most ridiculous, extravagant and eccentric bachelors that he could find, always telling them a thousand and one marvels about her that always put her in a very uncomfortable situation. Every time she complained about it he only told her- full of calm- that she needed some company and that since his heart already belonged to someone, he had nothing else to do but to thank her by finding her a guy of her taste. Rika had asked him who occupied his heart- between laughs- and he had only replied with simple humor.

-"Chiharu, who else is there?"

-"Are you serious?" She asked amazed.

-"Well, she has been the only girl I have met that wouldn't be scared of my bad luck…"

-"But when we were children you didn't have such bad luck."

-"Well, I'm still sure she is the only one that wouldn't be scared of it."

Then they had both laughed while remembering their childhood memories. And while they had not been really good friends while young –he had had a Chinese boy as his best friend and she had had a wonderful group of girl friends- they felt close as family because both were alone in the great city, and before the year had ended they had practically adopted each other.

-"You know?" He said after finishing his lecture, they were about to close the store and he was leaving for home. "Today one of the children reminded me of someone we knew a long time ago."

-"Really? Who?"

-"It was this boy who really believed what I was saying… don't think I don't' realize the others don't really believe me."

-"Who did he remind you of?"

-"His eyes brightened in such a way when he listened to my words, that he reminded me of Li, Syaoran Li, my best friend from elementary school… do you remember him?"

-"The Chinese kid?"

-"Yep that's the one. I think he was the only one in the entire school that actually believed me." Both of them began to laugh. "Well… tomorrow I'm going to introduce you to four friends from the faculty…. I have told them wonders about you!"

-"When are you going to stop that?"

-"When you have by your side the guy of your dreams. Oh I forgot! Tomorrow I have a date… could I leave early?"

-"Ok. But…" She joked. "Are you going to be unfaithful to the memories of your beloved Chiharu?"

-"Maybe she is already married." He replied with another smile. "Besides I'm sure that even if she is not married she has had a lot of boyfriends and she has forgotten that I was the first."

Rika kept on laughing while Yamazaki left the store and began to walk the streets, pondering.

-"Why did I remember Li when I saw that little boy?"

Sakura walked the streets in silence following the tall figure of Syaoran. She was sad and depressed. The guy had not been very nice to her, especially when he found out she had decided to forget her magic when she became a teenager. Even though Kero had defended her – trying to argue with Syaoran like in the old days- the guy had only limited himself to tell her, in a very icy voice, that that had been a completely and absolutely selfish way of living her life.

-"Those of us who have been favored with magical powers cannot afford to behave in such a way" He told her, never losing his composure before Kero's attacks. "We have a responsibility toward others, and if we renounce or blame our magic for our problems, some magicians without scruples would begin to cause trouble."

That comment had really hurt.

And it had hurt her because it was true.

Some of Syaoran's revelations had also hurt. Apparently he was in the middle of a feud against him, plotted by a vengeful magician. He had not mentioned the motives, but he looked worried. He had also not explained why he had followed her or of what had he been trying to protect her, but he looked tense while he told her he would accompany her to the hotel in his car.

-"How is Mei Ling?" She asked, trying to end the thick silence.

"She's fine. Maybe she'll go visit you when I tell her you are here."

"I would really love that." She cheered up. "Do you think she'll do it?"

"She might." He replied. "Listen; wait here while I go get the car. Since I parked it far away from here, this way we'll leave faster."

She nodded and he was soon lost inside the enormous masses that roamed the largest streets in Hong Kong. She again was thoughtful but at the same time a little disappointed. Syaoran had become a very handsome guy but he was also a bit too dominant, well, at least not the way she remembered he was… she had imagined him more polite, more gentle… more…

"Sakura, Sakura!" Kero came out of her purse. "I feel…"

"Stay inside Kero!' She told him before shoving him back into her purse. "Somebody could see you!"

She felt something weird before a strange gust of wind attacked her and threw her meters away. The people roaming the streets plunged themselves into a panic thanks to the hurricane like winds and began to seek refuge wherever they could, curiously the wind only became focused around Sakura, and after throwing her against the windows of a small shop they elevated her and threw her in the middle of another street.

Luckily she was not rendered unconscious by the fall. Astonished at what had occurred, she was still for a couple of seconds, and as soon as she landed on the hard concrete she stood up and decided to confront her unknown assailant. Kero was even faster he was already in between her and the person who attacked her.

Because there was no denying he was attacking her.

Standing in the vortex of the hurricane, about 50 meters away, Sakura was able to distinguish the shadow of a young man. This shadow then proceeded with its attack against Sakura, that in the few seconds of intermission- even though she had serious cuts created by the windows the winds had slammed her against- had conjured up her magic staff and became prepared to defend herself.

"Who… who are you? Why are you attacking me?"

"You can see me?" The shadow questioned. "Then I was not wrong, you are a possible ally and you have to die here before you can interfere in our plans… I summon the power of thunder!"

"You will not harm Sakura!" Kero shouted while resuming his real shape. "I will not allow anyone to harm Sakura!"

"I summon the power of the wind!"

"Kero!"

The vicious winds threw themselves against Kero who managed to sustain and contain the attack. But then the attacker shone a beam of powerful light in Kero's eyes rendering him temporarily blind, and taking advantage of the moment he launched a bolt of lighting from his magic staff with such fierceness that Kerberos screamed in pain

"Shield!" Sakura shouted.

The next bolt of lighting did not reach its destination as the power of the Shield card repelled the attack. The stranger was enraged and turned against the two with renewed vigor.

"Now, I'm pissed!" The shadow shouted from between the hurricane that he had not left even for a minute. "Now you will die… I summon the power of the damned… come, destroy, shred and kill those who oppose me… black storm where the tormented souls of the damned wander, let your fury fall on them!"

"We must leave Sakura!" Kero said. "This is powerful dark magic! Climb on me, we must flee!" He added when he saw her injuries.

But before Sakura had time to do anything they were hit by something horrible… a terrible cold, a feeling of emptiness and suddenly both were trapped in the vortex of a tornado where they felt pain… pain… tormented screams in their ears and mind, and the pain never ceased…

The cold wind prevented Sakura from taking out a card

"The pain will be your companion until you die"

"Gods of the four elements….give me the power necessary because you lords can destroy the dammed…. Light!"

Sakura and Kerberos were able to see how Syaoran, with a simple movement from his hands, was able to create a flash of light that immediately tore apart the tornado that held them captive. He then turned to look at the stranger with something more than dimple disgust reflected in his eyes.

"Pure wind from the east, make this stranger show his face at once!" Syaoran commanded.

Without the need of a magic staff or any other sacred object in Syaoran hands, the hurricane, the stranger used as a shield, dissolved despite the long list of spells he tried to keep himself hidden. Just as Sakura thought, the assailant was a man, with long black hair and small burgundy eyes of approximately 25 to 28 years of age; his clothes were typically Chinese and he had an enormous magical staff in his hands which he had pointed towards Syaoran.

"I knew you were arrogant and that you enjoyed fights between wizards, Chiang Lao," Syaoran spoke, "but I never thought you would take your desire to fight to the point of attacking those who cannot defend themselves."

"My cousin's betrayer cannot afford to give morality lessons, Syaoran Li" Chiang replied. "So if you please, sit down and watch as I destroy these two..."

Chiang then began by throwing a bolt of black light against Syaoran, who jumped to avoid it but at the same time the wizard of the Lao Clan attacked Sakura and Kerberos with a set of black threads that sprouted from the floor and began to encircle Sakura, she however simply cut herself away from the situation.

"Sword!"

"Impossible! Nothing can cut through the threads of darkness!"

"That sword can cut through anything, even those threads you use." Syaoran informed him. "Now tell me, where is your uncle? If you tell me I'll ask for mercy on your behalf in front of the Council."

"My uncle will finish you Syaoran." Chiang told him. "But not before you see how those you loved die… knowing that they died because of you shall be part of your punishment… nothing you do to me will stop it!"

"If you want revenge, why not challenge me to a duel that I will gladly accept." Syaoran said. "Why involve innocent people in this?"

"You are not going to give us orders!"

Chiang gathered his power and uttered a spell that covered the entire place in a dark wind that began to tear the pavement from the ground elevating it 100 meters up. When the winds began to shake them in different directions and dark threads began to appear from the body of the sorcerer, Sakura used Shield to protect Kerberos and used windy to form a spiral around her as a defense. She was going to use another card to attack Chiang when she saw that Lao threw himself against Syaoran with the intention of stabbing him with his staff.

Shaoran stopped the staff with both hands. Both sorcerers struggled- Chiang was not only older but also a lot taller than Syaoran who was having a hard time- both uttered curses at each other, finally Chiang began to yield. Sakura didn't understand why until she began to see that Chiang's staff was disintegrating while Syaoran continued to utter his curses. Then things began to complicate themselves when the threads that threatened Sakura and Kero turned around to attack Syaoran, only the timely intervention of Sakura and Kero prevented them from interfering in the combat.

Finally a thunderous sound invaded the place, Chiang's staff broke and he fell to the floor, unconscious.

While Kerberos returned to his false form, Sakura approached Syaoran and verified that he did not have any physical injuries; however he was terribly cold, pale and sweating.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, worried. "I thought that guy was going to kill us all!"

"Yes… I'm fine… I think." He said while he leaned on her. "Thing is… he attacked me with all the power he had and his staff was very ancient…"

"And you didn't have a magical object, right?"

"A magical object helps, but this wasn't the case. The magic that Chiang handles is very dark and exhausts the person using it as well as the person defending himself against it."

"Is he dead?" Kero asked while looking at the guy on the floor.

"I hope not since I would prefer if the Council decides his fate. I don't want anything more to do with the Lao. They want to kill me."

"And why was he trying to kill me?" Sakura asked him. "I just barely saw you again!"

"The guy said that as part on the ex-brat's punishment…"

Sakura became quiet for a moment. Then suddenly something came to her mind- a memory- the figure of a nice old man in Chinese clothes that she met one afternoon.

"They want to take revenge on me by harming the people I have loved." Syaoran spoke without thinking.

"Hmmm." Kero muttered. "Then?... What does Sakura have to do in all of this?'

"They attack people I have met; that's what I meant when I told you, you needed protection." He continued

"Do you think they want to harm me?" Sakura asked him with a strange tone. "I'm just someone you met as a kid! Besides it's been a long time since we have seen each other."

"Old man Lao studies the future as well as the past. He has been harming and damaging people I met and…"

"But has he been doing it in such a direct way?" Kero questioned.

"No. And that is what's weird. He had never done it before." He tried to stand up, Sakura had to help him even thought she had various cuts in her body. "No, don't worry. Let's go, its better if I take you home to get you some treatment for those cuts"

Again the figure of the old man flashed in Sakura's face clearly. She had seen the old man in his Chinese clothes years ago, the same afternoon that Touya left home. That same afternoon she began to think that her magic was the reason that she had lost her friends and her brother. That same afternoon… The old man in Chinese clothes, the one with a long scar on his left hand, the hand in which he held his walking cane.

"Wait a minute Syaoran. Can you describe old Lao?"

"Lao? Well, he is old with a pale face and a long nose?"

"Please, be more specific. Does he have a distinguishing feature?"

"Well… I don't know…"

"A long scar on his left hand?"

"How do you know? Where have you seen him?"

"The afternoon… when my brother left home. I was crying on my way home from the station and I met that old man in his Chinese clothes. We started talking about magic… of course I didn't tell him that I was a Card Captor, but then he told me that magic sometimes harms the people that practice it… he said it like that…"

'That is not possible! '**The** **plan to get rid of the Li Clan and every possible ally it gained had begun a long time ago**…' Now I understand!"

"Well I don't!" Sakura protested. "What does this old man have to do with me? Did he have to do with my brother leaving home?"

"If you say that it was because he had a falling out with your dad, then it is not likely… Lao harms people I loved or liked a lot and your brother is not in that list, it is more probable he would have attacked you…to stop you from helping me out… that's it!"

"That's it what?"

"You stopped believing in magic, you had a great future ahead of you but he motivated you to stop believing in your power which was then sealed just like Kerberos in the book…"

"Yes… That is why I was never able to leave the book for the next five years…" Kero commented. "Besides I was already weak… Sakura's self-esteem was already low so it was enough to just give her the idea that her magic was responsible for making her lonely…"

"Exactly. Her power was sealed and even though now it is awake it is back to a basic level, almost at the same level that when you began to capture the clow cards"

"I understand. Now everything is clear… That is why nothing weird ever happened to me anymore all these years…"

"If something drastic happened to you it was possible that your magic would awake just like Kerberos and Yue…" He suddenly became worried. "Yue! Is he alright?"

"Why do you ask?"

"By abandoning your powers you sealed Yue leaving Yukito vulnerable against any threat from Lao, I just hope he is alright…'

"Wait a minute, wait a minute…" Kero murmured

"Wait, so you thing that Yukito has been harmed by that Lao guy?"

"I said wait a minute…" Kero continued

"No… now that I think about it, I doubt it." Syaoran said without thinking, "Because when I was a kid the most important person in my life was y..."

"That's right!" Kero interrupted pointing one of his paws at him. "You are responsible for all of this!"

"What are you talking about Kero?"

"That crazy family only attacks those who you have loved a lot and you were in love with Sakura!" He yelled.

"What… what… you dare?" Syaoran protested uncomfortable. "That's…that's…that's..."

The truth was that he was getting redder and redder and he just settled by looking at the floor, he couldn't look at Sakura.

"But if Lao had already harmed Sakura, why kill her now?" Kero kept on reasoning. "That old man… he can see the past… and if you two liked each other in the past… hmmm"

"Stop talking nonsense Kero!" Sakura was just as red a Syaoran. "You have said enough!"

"No, the thing is…is…he wants to harm those he loved… but to kill someone in such an open way… there is only one reason that…. It's not possible!" Kero spoke with anguish. "If he attacked Sakura and he only attacks those he loved or will love…and he wanted to KILL Sakura…"

"People are starting to come out" Syaoran interrupted. "It is better if we leave… the car is over there"

"And what do we do about this younger Lao" Sakura asked and pointed at the guy on the floor.

To answer her question and even though he was shaking uncontrollably, Syaoran uttered a spell that made the guy on the floor disappear.

"What did you do to him?"

"I sent him to the Council's jail." He said and he started falling down.

"Syaoran!" Sakura exclaimed while she tried to help him up.

"Syaoran." A Chinese girl interrupted while getting out of a very luxurious car. "You are so weak! What happened?"

"Don't… don't worry Mei Ling… what are you doing here?"

"In your house they felt a powerful magical wave coming from this place… they only allowed us to come when it disappeared… who did you go against?"

"Against…against… Chiang. But don't worry about me, help Sakura."

"Sakura?"

Mei Ling turned around to look at the harmed and bleeding girl that held her cousin up and looked at her surprised.

"Yes, Sakura Kinomoto… the card captor from Japan… don't you remember her?" He said.

"Sakura!"

"Mei Ling!"

Both girls looked at each other and while Sakura smiled Mei Ling had a strange feeling, but then Syaoran fell down and only with Wei's help were they able to take him to the car. And while Mei Ling also helped Sakura- who really needed it- she knew things were now going to change for her.

That was definite.

Meanwhile Kero kept on thinking with increasing worry, the car just kept on gliding through the streets of Hong Kong.

"It cannot be!" He told himself anguished. "If that sorcerer wanted to KILL Sakura… it means she is going to be an important figure in the life of the ex-brat… that cannot be!... Sakura!"

The old man hit the cards with a choleric gesture. He knew it, Chiang had failed. He had risked the plan but there had been no other choice. That girl had to die as soon as possible because she could definitely become an obstruction to his plans.

The Tarot cards dispersed around the floor thanks to another gesture from the old man. There was no turning back now, with Chiang's capture, the plot had been revealed, but that didn't matter, he had been preparing himself to finish off the Li Clan for a very long time now, he had even lost his own son.

His son.

He closed his fists with anger. He hated Syaoran Li, he really wanted him to suffer, that is why he regretted not finishing that ridiculous little girl when he had the chance five years ago. But there had been such naïveté in her smile and such kindness in her way of being that he had limited himself to simply influencing her to seal her own power and had left her alone. He knew he was going to regret his actions later but he had being unable to avoid it!

The truth was that she reminded him of the daughter he had lost almost 30 years ago and that had completely disarmed him. But now that she had broken the seal on her own power he had to get rid of her. He had to.

If she had been and had the possibility of being important for that young man, he would get rid of her without a second thought.

For his son, for his Clan. He would destroy all those that boy loved… all of them!"

He called one of his nephews and gave him a new order.

He had a new idea.

Sonomi stopped walking around the room. Something strange was happening to her. She couldn't stop remembering the conversation that she had last week with Fujitaka Kinomoto and the uneasy feeling persisted.

He was right.

But the fact that he had talked to her and that she had to confide precisely in him irritated her because she had never liked him very much. Actually she had been close to hating him. She knew he was a good man- if he wasn't Nadeshiko would have never married him- and she was aware that he had done a wonderful job taking care of Sakura.

In fact, a better job than she had done with Tomoyo.

She remembered the enormous surprise she received when she came across him in the lobby of the hotel, even more so when he invited her to a small restaurant"

"Do you think that I'm happy I cannot speak for more than three minutes straight with my daughter?"

"I didn't want to imply that Sonomi. No father or mother would be completely happy until he or she has their children close by. Is just that I don't understand, knowing where your daughter is, why is it you haven't decided to go and talk to her to clear the situation."

"You don't even know why my daughter and I aren't speaking. You can't come here and tell me what I have to do!'

"Do you know the reason?"

"I don't have to answer you that" She protested

"If you really know what the problem is and where your daughter is… I don't understand why you add yourself to the problem and you don't go and talk to her"

"How dare you?"

"I too have a daughter. And if I knew she had a problem I would try to convince her to share it with me no matter how much that would hurt me…because she is my daughter and every father deeply loves his children, whether they agree with them or not" He spoke with deep sadness. "Because, nevertheless, I will never stop being their father."

Faced with these words Sonomi began to cry.

'That's exactly my problem!" Sonomi sobbed. "I can't speak with Tomoyo because I'm afraid she'll tell me…tell me…that she knows I'm not her real mother" Professor Kinomoto had been thunderstruck with the revelation and Sonomi had continued almost as if the revelation had lifted an enormous weight off her shoulders. "I'm sterile." She said in a low voice, "I discovered this after getting married and it was such a disappointment for me and for my husband. To be honest we were only able to keep going by putting all of our effort into our job; that is why I became the fierce business woman that you now know. But I always felt frustration because I did not have a complete family and although I spoke to my husband about adopting a child he didn't want to hear anything about it, the idea was highly unpleasant to him…." She sighted. "But even though he did not agree, I decided to risk it. Without telling him about it I began the paperwork to adopt the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen… I was so sure that when he saw her he was going to love her… and so I adopted her…" She sighted again, "But when I took her home…'

"He didn't react as you hoped…"

"Exactly. He didn't react at all." She sobbed. "I would have preferred him to say something, that he reprimand me for what I did, but he didn't say anything about it… he never said anything. He just limited himself to tell me that Tomoyo was never going to be a daughter to him and he just went back to his work without saying another word."

"Did he tread Tomoyo badly?"

"It's not that. As time went by he barely even talked to her, he was never at home and he barely took care of her. When my little girl approached him, he would walk away with an excuse or he would leave on an unexpected trip… I think that at the end Tomoyo became used to the idea that her father was never going to take care of her and she too lost interest. She stopped talking about him and he just became an anonymous figure in her life." She smiled with sadness. "Even Grandfather became fond of Tomoyo, but he never spoke of her the way he spoke Sakura when he met her that summer. Tomoyo was never bothered by it since I never told her about that. But with her father…"

"Now I understand" The professor murmured. "That is why Sakura always said that Tomoyo never mentioned her father."

"She didn't have anything to say because she hardly knew him…"

"Was that the reason for the divorce?"

"Yes. I think that as the years went by that helped create a ridge between us and we became two different people. Finally the situation between us became unbearable and after moving to the United States I realized this thing was going nowhere. Because I was afraid Tomoyo would witness a disagreeable scene, I sent her to boarding school."

"I heard about that. Tomoyo told Sakura about it in one of her letters." He recalled. "Although I think that was the last time we heard about her."

"I'm not surprised. When I told her that her father and I were getting a divorce she didn't look too affected by it." She continued. "She spent one final weekend with us and after that I had to move to Germany for a long period of time. I supposed it would be a good idea if we maintained a certain distance between us, so I left her on another boarding school in Germany while I became occupied in my work, finally I became ill out of pure exhaustion."

"What happened?"

"Nothing serious but it kept me in the hospital for a long period of time and he came to visit me on various occasions. Tomoyo couldn't visit me because the school was very strict but when I left the hospital I had a terrible argument with him. We had been divorced for almost three years by then and he had never asked or visited Tomoyo…I reproached him that he never took care of her and suddenly he told me that if I had never adopter her we would still be married… that made me cry…and for a moment I wished I had never adopted Tomoyo and that is something I would never forgive myself for… she's my daughter!...how could I think that even for a moment?"

"Does Tomoyo know about this?"

"I'm not sure; I never had the courage to ask her about it." She said with a wince. "And then when I was fully recovered I was not able to spend much time with her because my stay in the hospital had made me fall behind in my work… it was then that we became distanced from one another, maybe is just me but I think she started to avoid me and then when she graduated she told me she would prefer living alone"

"And you never asked why she was acting that way? I remember your daughter as being a sweet girl and it would have been better to ask her directly."

"I told myself that the reason she distanced herself from me was thanks to school and because she was a teenager, and then because she started working… I think I became used to her attitude…at least until a few days ago when I saw your daughter. It was then that I realized that something must have happened to Tomoyo that made her stay away from me…when I saw that light shining in Sakura's eyes I realized that Tomoyo was not happy… I'm afraid I have failed as a mother."

"If you wish to solve the problem then you must frankly speak with your daughter and don't allow the silence, your jobs or excuses to come between you anymore…"

"And what if she reproaches me something?"

"Then defend yourself and give her your opinion. Ask her why she distanced herself from you, and maybe she won't tell you the reason at the beginning, but if you are sincere with her then she will finally tell you." Then he smiled. "Look, Sakura told me this yesterday, Tomoyo is, by nature, a sweet and gentle girl, her changes must have happened because something affected her greatly, but if you look closely I think that deep down she's still the same sweet adorable girl you love so dearly."

Sonomi looked at the professor with awe. How could he have so much faith and confidence about what he said? With a lot of effort she finally nodded and sighted heavily.

"You are right. Is that why you came to see me? Sakura told you what I told her?"

"Yes. I was saddened when I heard about your problem and I thought it would be good for you if you talked to someone. I never expected you were going to reveal so much but…"

"But you wanted to give me some lessons on how to be a good mother to my daughter no? Well, you have been an excellent parent to your children, although Grandfather and I doubted you, I guess you deserve to come and preach to me…"

"No Sonomi, nobody is perfect." Fujitaka said with a profound expression of sadness. "I am not a perfect parent. If I came to tell you all of this was because I would love to do what I just told you as well. Because if I knew where my son was I wouldn't stop until I talked to him once again."

"What are you saying?" She said surprised.

"It's been five years that I have not known anything about my son."

"That's impossible. Since you are…!"

"I am not perfect Sonomi. There is nothing more truthful than that. My son left the house because I could not provide him with a reason to stay in it…"

"But…"

"Just like you, he asked for answers I was not prepared to provide him with. Maybe I did not have enough tact to deny them to him or maybe it was because Touya wanted to prove to me that he could find them by himself, the reality is that he left and I have never seen him since then."

Sonomi sat down on the sofa and sighted again as she remembered what Fujitaka had told her about his son. It must be hard on him and maybe this was a sign for her to solve her communication problems with Tomoyo.

Even if it wasn't easy to do so, she had to make a decision.

The child laughed quietly while he ran through the road illuminated by the moon. Strangely he did not feel lonely, on the contrary, he was happy and he wasn't afraid.

"Yukito! Where are you?" I female voice called him.

The little boy just kept on laughing as he quietly sat down in the moonlight, the echo of his laugh was enough for the woman to find him and suddenly he felt a sweet caress on his face.

"I don't understand why you are not afraid of being alone during the night, any other boy would be, you are just 3 years old, why do you love this place so much if you are alone?"

"Not alone." He babbled pointing at the moon.

"So the moon is your friend then?" The women picked him up with a hug. "If you weren't such an adorable little boy I would be really mad at you." The little boy just kept pointing at the moon. "Do you really like the moon Yukito?"

A gust of wind invaded the place and when it disappeared the little boy was now 5 years old. He was now in the middle of a temple when another boy approached him.

"Hello…what are you?" The other little boy asked him

"Me? I'm a boy… why do ask?"

"I don't… I don't know." The other boy answered, he was about the same age and he had short black hair. "When I saw you go by with your parents there was a silver shadow following you."

"What shadow? I don't understand"

"I think it had wings… I don't know"

An old lady then approached him took his small hand and led him away. The first boy simple shrugged and smiled. He had not understood why the other boy said that but it was almost night, the moon was starting to show up on the sky and that made him very happy..

"But grandma," the other boy was saying, "that boy… I don't feel as if he is one person but more like two.."

"You saw that because you are a medium…but you are not to go mentioning that to people…"

The moon shone brightly and now the first boy was about 10 or 12 years old. He was leaving the school saying good bye to some other boys his age.

"Take care guys!"

"So you are going to switch schools?" Another boy asked him.

"Yes, my parents are moving thanks to a job opportunity and I'm switching to a school close to their jobs. Besides there is a bakery near that school that prepares the most delicious cakes."

"You sure eat a lot." A girl laughed. "We are going to miss you…"

"Me too"

"Don't say that Yukito." Another boy spoke. "You are a really good person and you never have difficulty making friends, everybody likes you… you are never going to feel alone."

The boy laughed softly and suddenly he was in front of a pair of closed doors in front of a big house. He was now wearing a junior high school uniform and he was wearing glasses. He had a couple of bags to his left and a pair of old people to his right.

"You are coming to live with us." The old man informed him. "Although your grandmother and I are always busy, we hope that you won't feel alone."

"Don't worry grandfather." He turned to look at them with a smile on his face. "How could I feel alone if I am with you guys?"

"Then, lets go to your knew house."

The young boy climbed into a car and as he admired the view suddenly he was not in the car anymore but riding a bicycle and another guy with black hair and a girl in roller skates were next to him.

"I dreamt of a great fried fish and suddenly when I woke up I found it in my breakfast and that made me so happy that I ate it along with six rice bowls!"

The little girl had smiled and he had thrown her a piece of candy as she stayed in front of the elementary school's doors. The boy with black hair had looked at him in surprise when the girl caught the piece of candy and then worry colored his handsome features for a short instant. What was that? He had always been able to see spirits or things that other people could not see, but he had never seen that before when his friend was right next to his little sister. A silver shadow with angel wings? He knew Yukito had a strange aura, almost as if he weren't just one person, but that only made their friendship stronger since Yukito was the only one that understood the things that he was able to see and that had always isolated himself from others. Surprised by his confusion and worry he murmured with some annoyance.

"Why is it you always give her candy?" He spoke with a frown on his face. "She's a monster."

"Why do you say that about your sister?" Yukito answered. "I would have loved to have a family like yours… you know? Sometimes I'm a bit jealous."

"That doesn't take away from the fact that she is a little monster, a monster that can only inspire terror…"

"Well contrary to your opinion, I think that your little sister inspires tenderness." He said affably. "You know? Sometimes I feel alone in my house and I would have loved to have someone that I could protect and take care of, a family just like yours."

"Fine, fine…if you are able to stand her than maybe you could adopt her." The other guy told him while he shrugged. "Although I doubt you are going to be able to stand her for a long time, and then you are going to start thinking that it is better to be alone than with bad company."

A strong wind surrounded the guy with glasses and now he was able to see the silver shadow right next to him, the girl in roller skates had a strange staff and something that looked like a tarot card in her hands; right next to the little girl there was a boy in Chinese clothes and an enormous lion with golden eyes and then a lot of memories fluttered so fast before his eyes that he did not have time to see them all. A lot of similes, a lot of meetings with that little girl and her family, the first family that had treated him so kindly. But then he was in front of his grandfather's cold body, his grandmother looked very tired.

He suddenly found himself at a train station. The boy with black hair looked saddened while he firmly shook hands with him, the little was trying not to cry while she hugged a tall man with brown hair that was trying to cheer her up but he too looked rather sad. The last thing he saw was the little girl waving her hands in goodbye and then a heavy silence surrounded his soul.

When he left the station-this time it was the metro station- the guy that left it was approximately 20 years old, with a heavy load of books in his hands and he looked like he was in a hurry to get to the university, once he arrived in the classroom a lot of people greeted him, but the silence in his soul persisted. He was alone, even though he was surrounded by all those people.

In the future, even in a night with a full moon, he had always felt incomplete and that silver shadow that had always been with him had abandoned him forever.

Now he left the university with the aspect of young man of 23 or 24 years of age… there in front of him was the girl he had accompanied to the nurse's office in the place where he worked.

She was a beautiful girl and she had smiled at him and, even though he began to feel sad because he had never felt complete again, like when he used to when he saw the shadow under the moon, a sudden happiness invaded him. It was strange happiness, very different to others he had felt before. It had nothing to do with the love he had felt for his parents, the warm friendship he had with childhood friends or the sour but complete trust from his best friend in high school. This happiness reminded him of the one he had felt with his best friend's little sister, but at the same time it was different and unique.

In front of that little girl, the silver shadow that always accompanied him had propelled him to feel a deep happiness and a desire to protect her. But in front of this other girl, he knew it was just him and him alone that made him feel such emotions, this happiness he felt every time she smiled, this desire to always be by her side, to take care of her, to make her happy. Maybe the shadow that had always been his most close companion had left him, but this girl, this woman that was not a part of him, in a mysterious way and thanks to the new emotions he now had for her she had actually become a part of him.

Then that woman was smiling while the wedding band that she now wore on her finger glittered, both were in the middle of an enjoyable picnic. But it was already getting dark and since that night there was no moon present they both decided to go back to the city.

Then everything began to shake and a mass of debris separated them.

He had desperately dragged himself to find her. Only to find her cold inert body covered in blood in between a landslide.

He was alone again. This time… forever.

"Stop, stop!" He yelled with a profound sadness.

In an instant everything came down like shattered glass and he was kneeling in the middle of nowhere. Now he saw everything that had happened….he saw a girl standing in the middle of the street and then he felt a thud and he knew why he was there.

"I have nothing else to live for." He spoke out loud. "I have always said that life is something very valuable to just throw it away and I have never wanted to leave my life, but now if I could finally rest forever…if I could stop being alone and I were able to see Keiko one more time…"

Silence. A light shining in the distance.

"I had a long and happy life. I have met many wonderful people. I just hope they remember me with happiness and that they never feel alone… now I won't be alone… ever again…"

Yukito's figure, now transformed into that of a 26 year old professor still wearing his old glasses began to walk towards the light. But now the shadow of a young woman spoke softly.

"No. You can't come."

"Keiko?"

"You can't come. You still have a lot to do, a lot of people to love…besides he would never allow you to come…"

"He?" He was surprised.

"Yes." Keiko pointed to a figure behind Yukito. "Him."

Yukito quickly turned around and in front of him, with his usual serene expression, there was a tall figure of long silver hair and white wings…

_Author's Notes: Omg! This chapter was longer than I expected… If you are wondering where the spells that Syaoran and Chiang used come from let me tell you they came from an old book that talks about the Ying Yang (the book is older than the world itself and it almost fell into pieces… you cannot even read the title anymore) combined with some of my imagination hehehe. Ok then, I hope you liked the chapter, and as you might have realized, the characters are starting to finally make an appearance, just like I promised. The idea of a crossover is still walking around in my head…..but we'll see. Did you recognize the little kid that spoke to Yukito when he was a small boy? Hehehe_….

_As always comments, suggestions, or rotten tomatoes please go to the review section._

_A small glimpse of the next chapter:_

_Sakura realizes, with a bit of fear, that it is easier to go into Syaoran's house rather than leave it and it is not because it is protected by magic…._


	6. Chapter V

Chapter V: And now things began to complicate themselves

_"Hello again diary! How have you been? Well I'm recovering from shock ...tonight I was absorbed by a tree! ... it was in the temple where professor Mizuki lives, everything happened there and I was terrified…it seems that the Clow Card 'the return' 'made me go back in time and I saw things that I did not understand at all .. fortunately_

_Li helped me get back! ... I am truly grateful, though Kero still does not like him ... I do not understand!_

_Today we baked a cake at school... I'm very happy because Yukito loved it! We had some problems with a Clow Card, but Li helped me again and Tomoyo and I were able to make a delicious cake that Yukito liked... That makes me very happy! "_

She sighed, satisfied. Mei Ling was very efficient in cleaning her wounds and she felt much better now, however, she suddenly realized what had happened.

Everyone in the room was watching her with a rather critical expression.

- "Eh ... I… I think it might be better if I went back to the hotel ... my father may be worried ..."

- "Let us first offer you an apology for the complications that my son has caused," A lady spoke, in an exquisite but also very calm voice. "and also let us thank you for your help tonight in catching Lao Chiang ..."

- "Oh no Madam!" Sakura replied promptly. "I didn't do anything, I'm afraid it was Shaoran the one who saved my life this afternoon ... I ... I" She bowed her head and hesitated, "I am deeply grateful"

- "Master Li is now awake Madam" Wei spoke when the mother of his young master allowed him to enter the room. "He has requested your presence in his room for just a moment."

The lady stood up and Sakura blinked. She had only seen her once, when she was a child and she had won a contest that allowed her to visit Hong Kong. Amazingly the lady had changed very little. Her hair was still as black as night and her demeanor and her expression remained as those of a queen, though some tiny wrinkles did color her face when she approached her.

- "You have changed a lot in the last then years," She spoke informally for the first time "it was a pleasant surprise seeing you again."

She then went into her son's room.

As if they had bee expecting the lady to leave, the other people in the room practically surrounded her.

- "Who are you?"

- "You're beautiful!"

- "Why did Lao attack you?"

- "Do you have something to do with Shaoran?"

- "What is your name?"

- "Why hadn't you come here before?"

Sakura smiled timidly while she began to sweat.

- "Well, the truth is I ..."

The door opened again and Shaoran and his mother entered the room. The lady contemplated for a moment Syaoran's unsure steps but said nothing; she merely gave Mei Ling an imperceptible signal that the young lady understood immediately.

- "I think it's best if I go to the Council's meeting sooner rather than later," Syaoran's mother spoke amid the silence. "It's best if the Lao case becomes clear in front of the assembly."

- "Thanks in advance for replacing me today at the assembly" His son replied in a tone which, while not dominant, was both serene and full of deference to his mother-"I only hope that the council is fair so that I don't end up being the villain in front of Chiang again" He continued. "This situation is truly mortifying."

Given the prevailing silence, mother and son bade each other farewell with mutual respect and the lady left while the other people-including Sakura-seemed to contain their breath.

Both, mother and son, radiated such serenity that is was impossible not to feel a bit awkward around them.

- "I see you have already greeted my sisters and their husbands," Said the young man with an expression of 'I command here,' it looked like that was his usual expression "I just hope they haven't been a big bother, right?" He asked looking at all of them.

Of course the question instantly made them nervous.

- "Well ... well I... I think that you probably no longer remember me, but you have been very kind," Sakura said with a smile while trying to hide her amazement at her friend's attitude towards his family members. "All of you have been very kind to me and ..."

- "Yes, of course. I know their type of kindness." Syaoran said with a veiled threat that nobody ignored while he tried to sit on a high-backed chair that dominated the place. He suddenly paled and he had to hold himself up by taking a hold of the chair's back and also of Mei Ling –who had suddenly stood up to help him- to prevent himself from falling to the floor much to Sakura's and the other's alarm.

- "Are you okay?"

- "Do you want us to call someone?"

- "Do we call for help?"

- "No. Enough." He spoke with an air of authority that made everybody take a step back-"I just ... I just felt a little dizzy ... I'm fine and I think it would be better if ..."

Light steps were heard in the spacious entrance hall and Mei Ling started speaking quickly, almost as if she tried to warn his cousin about something ...

- "Oh ... incidentally Shaoran ... I don't think I told you that ..."

- "Aha!" Cried a voice from the shadows, "what do we have here?"

At the sound of that voice Mei Ling sighed. Shaoran appeared more concerned than when he had confronted Lao Chiang while the faces of the others filled with the same relief and joy that children experience when they hear the bell ring just as a very strict professor is about to reprimand them.

Sakura blinked repeatedly when she suddenly found herself being observed by a pair of inquisitive eyes…

- "And who are you?... Did that stupid Lao kid interrupt a date between you and Syaoran?"

- "GRANDMA!" Shaoran lost all composure.

The little girl pulled the woman by the arm that simple followed the girl with a smile while entering the establishment. The place was quite nice and although it was not the kind of establishment that Naoko usually went to she found it charming.

To be honest, the little shop reminded her of the one she used to visit often when she was little.

- "There he is! There he is!" Her little niece cried while pointing at the young man standing in the middle of group of children. "We arrived on time to hear the story!"

- "And your father brings you here every Thursday to listen to a story?"

- "Shhhhh!" The little children murmured while they were hustling around the young man, although he was not facing Naoko, he seemed used to the children's enthusiasm.

Her niece joined the group while she began walking around the store looking at the shelves. More than a bookstore, that establishment had everything a child could want and she was suddenly filled with great nostalgia when she found most of the fantasy books she used to read. Animated, she took one off the shelf and walked to the front desk to pay for her book.

- "One moment please," the cashier, a girl with long hair pulled back into a ponytail, told her "I don't remember the price of this book and I need to ask the owner" She turned around to talk to a girl that was cataloging some books. "What was the price of this book?"

- "This one?" The girl was shocked when she saw which book it was. "... Wait...let me check... Nice book!" She commented while turning distractedly around to look at the costumer. "Good choice ma'am, this book reminds me of someone I knew when I was little, her name was….'

Both the owner and the customer looked at each other for a second.

- "Naoko?

- "Rika!"

They both recognized each other at the same time much to the cashier's astonishment.

- "What are you doing here? ... You have given me quite a surprise!"

- "You think I'm not surprised? I just came to bring my niece and look at what I found… What are you doing here?... Is it true you are the Owner?"

- "Well, I'm only responsible for the store. My father is the owner. But just look at you! ... You look great! .. How have you been? .. This truly is a small world."

- "Well, I think you are right about that. Well I've been great. I'm studying at Clamp University and I'm doing really well.

- "I'm glad to know ... Can't believe that just a few days ago I was talking with someone about all the people we met in elementary school ..!" –She then seemed to remember something "Oh that's right! Haven't' you seen him?"

- "Who?"

- "A person that did not hang out with us very often but that used to say the most far-fetched things in the world.

- "That was Yamazaki! ... Have you seen him?'

- "Now what did I do boss?" Said the young man, the one that had been reading to the children, while approaching Rika much to Naoko's astonishment.

- "No way!" Naoko was amazed, "You're Yamazaki!'

- "Yanahisawa… is that really you?"

The elevator opened and the beautiful girl with long dark hair entered it without saying a word. As soon as the doors closed the cameramen gave a long sigh of relief. It had been a very heavy afternoon for everyone and they were all so tired of the demands they had been subjected to. It was difficult to keep the new and youngest member of the largest fashion house in Paris happy. Especially considering that not only was she a perfectionist who oversaw the development of the catalogs of the new season, but she also seemed to know much about cameras making it impossible to trick her with some kind of technicality.

If she could only confine herself to her work as a fashion designer. She had achieved success with her remarkable talent in a short amount of time, and she was already considered as a success in the world of fashion. But no, she now had to be a large company shareholder taking care of administrative business as well as public relations with other companies and her capacity to accomplish all of this was hard to match, as well as her efficiency.

If only she were not so difficult to satisfy.

One of the photographers sighed and then said:

- "You guys have no idea how happy I am that she's going to leave the country on business…"

- "She's a really beautiful girl," Another spoke "but I really don't know how Monsieur Le Blanc stands her."

- "If only she did not have such a temperamental character" Sighed another. "If she were just sweet and gentle besides just beautiful she would truly be charming."

Everyone nodded.

At that moment the doorman rushed to open the door for the girl while a young man in a luxurious convertible waited for her at the entrance.

- "That was a longer delay than expected Chérie "he said with a smile-" instead of a lunch I think we're having dinner ... "

- "I'm tired of telling you, don't call me Chérie." She replied while entering the car in a derogative manner. "Besides you don't have to wait if it bothers you so much .. I'm perfectly capable of going to dinner with someone else if you are not available"

- "Do not be angry Tracie! ... God!" He said with a sigh. "It seems we had a rough day around here ... so complicated was the development of this catalog?"

- "People sometimes want to achieve beautiful things without any real effort." The girl answered-"And that can be exasperating."

- "But you are a perfectionist Tracie ... that's the problem. You like your work too much and you want everyone to share your vision ... some people actually care about such things as entertainment and social life .."

- "You don´t have to tell me that. I know well that there are too many people like you in the stupid world that surrounds me. My wish is that we become, not only the most respected fashion label and modeling house in Europe, but that we branch out in every possible way available… that's all."

- "Ok then. Just don't get mad at me. I did not invite you out so that we could discuss your job, you need to answer me once and for all… do we set a date for our marriage? Are you going to present me to your family?"

- "I told you, I don't want to talk about my family Jean" She said calmly but coldly "Why do you insist on marrying me? I cannot understand why you worry about silly things like having a family"

- "You know I need you Tracie" He said passionately, "I don't understand this at all, but it is a certainty you're the woman I want to marry ... you are brilliant, beautiful and perfect for the social circle I frequent ... I'm sure you'll be a gracious hostess in my receptions and this would also be the union of two very successful people ... so why not marry met? "

- "I suppose you're right Jean," She replied with a thoughtful expression, "why not?"

- "What?"

- "I accept your marriage proposal Jean. I accept." She said without bothering to look at him or to give importance to the matter, she got out of the car which was now parked in front of an expensive looking restaurant. "You yourself you said it, why not get married?"

The blonde man smiled brightly. The beautiful young girl who had conquered eastern Paris with her talent would be his wife. That was extremely perfect and would add significantly to his popularity and to his reputation of irresistible. The most popular and disdainful girl he had ever met had agreed to marry him and Paris's high society was sure to become crazy in order to please them both- he was sure of it- he was going to be very busy for at least a month going to all those parties. Also being able to show of the always disdainful Tracie, who no other playboy had been able to conquer, filled him with pride and deep satisfaction.

And of course, that marriage would stir the media.

Alien to the thoughts of her boyfriend, she dined with indefinable serenity. Many other people greeted them during the evening and while Jean only inspired contempt for his empty and banal existence (everyone knew of his idiocy), many of the important people that had greeted them had only acknowledged him because of her presence.

- "A young woman of remarkable talent and incomparable working skill" Said a gentleman to his wife, after greeting the young couple. " I don't really understand what she is doing with that irresponsible playboy, she is so successful and beautiful"

- "But her personality is so strange" The lady said "She seems to always be on the defensive with people and she is very suspicious ..."

- "Maybe. But she's very capable at what she does, and so beautiful."

That night, when she returned to her apartment, she dropped on her bed with one thought in her mind:

- "Marriage! .. Who cares? Jean is stupid ... but at least he won't interfere too much in my life or complicate it ... I don't love him, he doesn't love me ... there is no possibility of hurting each other" She sighed. "He didn't even asked me my real name ... the name of the famous designer seems sufficient to everybody"

Before finally going to sleep, she turned off the lamp that rested on her night table on which there was a photo of a beautiful woman with short brown hair hugging a girl with long dark hair and bright blue eyes that had a video camera in her hands. In the photo, in typical Japanese kanji read for those who understood:

"A reminder of your mother. Take care.

Sonomi Daidouji "

- "Listen Grandma, it is best that you go rest and.."

- "When I die I'll finally rest, dear." The old woman smiled. "We need to thoroughly examine this girl to make sure that you don't make another mistake..." Despite her advanced age and the fact that she carried a walking cane with her, the old woman took several quick laps around a stunned Sakura-"hmmmm ... I like her. You are truly a very beautiful girl, my child ... you also have magical powers that I can strongly perceive and if you know Syaoran well you might be able to drive him appropriately…."

- "But madam, you are mistaken!" Sakura said quickly, while blushing. "It would be impossible for me to drive your grandson around because .."

- "I am not a car!" Shaoran angrily protested and lost patience.

- "Men are much more complicated than cars dear, believe me, I had to put up with your grandfather for many years" Said the old woman, without caring about the kids embarrassment. "That is why it is very important that you make a good choice when getting ready for marriage."

- "That is certainly true!" Two of Syaoran's sisters agreed.

-"¿MARRIAGE?" -Sakura and Shaoran shouted horrified.

- "Marriage is not something that can be taken lightly" Replied one of the men there, "it is important to me and my wife, that her brother, the head of the Li Clan who was kind enough to accept me into its family, has a marriage with the right person .. "

- "But love is important," Another sister spoke.

- "Love is the most important thing," Another man spoke.

A glance from the Chief of the Li Clan was enough to silence the four married couples, but unfortunately it did not have the same effect on the old lady who continued speaking undaunted.

- "Sometimes it is necessary to make cruel decisions, but it is better that things are clear in the period of courtship and not after the ceremony ... then it would be much more complicated .."

-"But grandma, Mei Ling and I are …"

- "Mei Ling is also my granddaughter Syaoran. And I do not need to be reminded of the fact that we have to think of her future also." She said stopping Syaoran with a small gesture. "Isn't that right dear?"

Mei Ling smiled. But the truth was that she was very pale. She knew her grandmother was joking at the expense of her grandson, as was her custom, but this time it was not funny.

- "Now tell me, what's all this about Chiang Lao using his uncle's staff to try to kill you dear? Have the Lao finally gone completely crazy?"

- "Don´t worry grandmother. I'll find a solution to all of this soon…."

- "Well of course it worries me. You're my only grandson, head of the clan and you have the most amazing level of magic that has only been registered in our Clan once before…"

- "Who do you mean Grandma?" Asked Mei Ling.

- "Leed Clow, of course ... who else?" The old woman shrugged. "The point is, my dear boy, you have an absolutely unusual potential, even in a clan of powerful sorcerers like us and it is certainly not easy for me to calm down when Lao wants to destroy you before you get married and fulfill your duty of providing the Clan with an heir."

- "Ex… excuse me Madam ..." Sakura spoke timidly, "you say that the current powers of your grandson are compared with those of Clow Leed?"

- "You hadn't noticed my dear girl?" She laughed extremely entertained. "I'm surprised that Kerberos did not tell you about it."

- "H... How ?..." She said while looking for her purse where she had hidden Kero as soon as she entered the house, she know realized she had completely forgot about it when they had been tending to her wounds. "You have met Kero… I mean Kerberos?" She grabbed her purse to see if she could feel him inside. "Oh no! Where is he..?"

- "Don't be afraid my dear girl," The old woman said trying to reassure the girl, "As your wounds were being tended we also took care of Kerberos, trying to make him comfortable…"

- "But…"

- "Shaoran's mother and I could feel the presence of the Beast of the Seal when you came in, don't be afraid for him. At this very moment he is eating some sweets, before coming here we were having a nice conversation."

- "So ... do you know that I am Card Master?"

- "Yes dear. So don't you worry anymore about that. We are a clan of sorcerers, and though not all of us are like Shaoran," She said pointing to her granddaughters and their husbands, "we also have magical abilities, so we are not surprised about things like these…"

- "Grandma, I think ..." Her grandson interrupted, he was tired of this peculiar conversation.

- "Don't try to get me out of here boy." She replied promptly, startling him "You always take things too seriously. I'm not saying that is bad, but you need to know when to relax ... you've always done well, since you were a child, though you look so cute when you get angry… didn't he look cute as a child when he got angry?"

Sakura smiled without saying a word while a HUGE drop appeared over her head. She wouldn't have found the right words to say even if she had had time to think. For his part, Syaoran's face changed color at every word his grandmother uttered.

He was tired of sighing with resignation every few minutes and he was already begging to wish not to have survived Chiang Lao's attack.

His grandmother was the only person in his entire family that still treated him as a child and could not only take away all his dignity as the head of his clan but also his self-control. So every time he found her he made sure they were both alone. It was the only way to avoid an embarrassment with her fondness and frankness. Therefore, considering that the present conversation had to reach its end as soon as possible, he made a gesture to his sisters and their husbands to leave, but they did not move an inch under the protection of the boisterous old woman. The present situation of Syaoran, with his grandmother talking about him as if he weren't present and basically giving him away to the embarrassed Japanese girl, was too out of line for them to miss it.

Syaoran's gaze was on the verge of making them run away when the old woman said in a more serious tone:

- "But why was this girl attacked in such a direct way by that boy from the Lao Clan? As far as we know they only attack people you liked or are going to like…"

- "It's because we knew each other when we were children, madam, when Shaoran spent time in Japan," Sakura replied promptly, "even I came to this house a long time ago ..."

- "In Japan ... Of course, I forgot! ... If you are Kerberos's mistress…. Then you are that young Japanese girl that left Syaoran sighing till he was thirteen years old!"

- "GRANDMOTHER!"

Sakura's face was no longer red. It began to turn purple, like Syaoran's.

- "But why did Lao try to kill you so desperately?" She said lost in thought. "I don't think it was because… I'm beginning to think Kerberos's is right…"

- "What… what did Kero say?"

- "Kerberos is very concerned about your life dear," She told Sakura looking at her intently "and I think he has a right to worry ..."

- "What do you mean grandma?" Mei-Ling whispered.

- Lao practices card reading. And as much as the past, he is also concerned about the future. Why not just hurt my heir by making him feel remorse by hurting the people he had some affection to in the past?. If he really wanted to hurt Syaoran… what would he steal from him?"

- "I don't know." They all whispered

- "His family?" One sister spoke.

- "It could be. But none of us have suffered an attack as desperate as this girl"

- "I have no idea then." whispered Mei-Ling.

- "What can it be?" A man spoke

- "His ... happiness?" Another sister spoke.

- "What is happiness to you?" Her grandmother asked her.

- "I do not know. My family, my daughter ... my husband ... if I had not married him I would not have what I have now .."

- "Love!" Muttered the old woman, with concern, in a voice so low that no one else could hear it.

Although did they not hear the last comment Syaoran and Sakura blushed deeply while Mei Ling paled more.

- "Come here please" the nurse said, "this is the room"

- "Thank you" the woman replied calmly, "what is his status?"

- "It's very serious, we can not give any assurance that he will survive," said the nurse, "the most worrying thing is that we know he doesn't have any family. He was raised by relatives who have died, and the girl with whom he was married, died last year ... "

- "Wow... I thought that only our institution was so adept at acquiring information .."

- "We learned this from his co-workers and some groups of boys and girls who have taken an interest in his health. Are you a relative?"

- "No. But I am part of the faculty at Clamp Campus, we have just hired the services of Professor Tsukishiro, and although he has not yet begun to work with us, he is already part of our institution and as such we are concerned about his welfare … is there anything we can do for him? "

- "I doubt it madam. I am delighted that your school is so concerned about the welfare of its employees as discussed, but I fear that there is nothing you can do for him"

- "Nevertheless, although I don't doubt the ability of the staff at this hospital, I have been instructed by Mr Imonoyama to take him to Tokyo immediately, as you will understand, to be part of our institution, he is protected by a clause which orders us to move him to our hospital..." She continued before the nurse could begin to protest. "Don't worry, we assume the responsibilities of transportation so that you don't have any problems with it ... Who should I contact to coordinate all this?"

- "I'll take you to our director, this way"

Both women left the room, while Yukito remained unconscious and continued standing between life and death.

Mei Ling entered her own room slowly. The day was being too complicated and she needed time to think. She had felt a tremendous shock when her aunt told her that Syaoran was in grave danger and she would have run out to die alongside him had she not been held back, but now she felt a different type of anguish. Different and yet familiar ... the kind of anguish she felt when she had introduced him to Mai Tsi…

It wasn't that she was not relived by the fact that he was alive. No. Of course not. But it was as if she had suddenly awakened from a dream and faced reality.

Suddenly she knew she will never be married to Syaoran.

When had she become aware of this? It wasn't when she saw the figure of Shaoran wobbling sustained by non-other than a wounded Sakura standing in the rubble with the enormous figure of the Beast of the Seal on their side, no, it had not been then…

The truth was that she had always known it but she had refused to see it.

It wasn't Sakura, or her sudden return, it wasn't even Lao, with his stupid vengeance against her cousin… not even her grandmother's lies… she knew the truth: Syaoran did not love her and that was enough for her to know that he was never going to marry her, even if it was the most convenient thing for the Clan, even if he wanted to do it. He did not love her and that was enough.

Because if he really loved her he would not hesitate to be by her side forever. Even if a thousand problems separated them, even if all the clans opposed the match, he wouldn't hesitate, but he had never loved her and now it was time for her to face the truth. Maybe Sakura's presence was the one way she was forced to see everything clearly. And it wasn't because they showed some kind of affection for one another-although she did notice that Syaoran was still attracted to Sakura- and maybe it was just that, attraction. But hat had not been it.

It was time to confront the truth and begin to leave Syaoran out of her dreams, forever… for her sake.

The door opened and her grandmother joined her.

- "Did something happen Grandma?"

- "I think that is the question I should I ask you my little one." The woman spoke. "Did my jokes bother you?... you know I'm an old ranting woman that.."

- "No grandma, it wasn't that... is just that you ... you were right, you have always been right I have just been too stubborn to listen to you…"

- "Are you talking about…?"

- "Yes, the wedding between Shaoran and I ... You always told me that it was never going happen but I did not want to listen to you…"

- "And the girl that was brought here today made you realize it?"

- "No, not really. The truth is that I have always known it. You see grandma, we known Syaoran can be easily embarrassed, especially when you tease him and take advantage of his shyness around girls… because you have always teased him around girls, with my friends from school when they came to see me, with the girls from his high school, Mai Tsi and now Sakura." She sighted. "Syaoran was instantly embarrassed when you teased him about all of them, but not once has he been embarrassed when you teased him about me…"

- "Mei Ling ..."

- "I think it's because he has never seen me as a woman… I have always been his cousin and that is why he will never be embarrassed when teased about me… you see I'm not as stupid as everyone seems to think…"

- "What do you plan to do then?

- "I don't know. I'm not sure yet, but one thing is certain: I won't take advantage of the difficult situation he is in right now or out of the guilt he is experiencing thanks to my boyfriend's death to make him marry me. It is not fair, so I won't do it."

- "Are you sure? Marrying him has been the dream of you life, this is the opportunity you had been waiting for…"

- "I know, I always wanted this grandmother, but Shaoran has never shared this dream with me ... because it has never been his dream" She said softly, "I can't take advantage of his gentleness and his concern for my well being to such heights…"

- "Are you sure?"

- "I am"

- "It won't be easy to forget him if you really don't want to do it. And since he is always so close to you it…"

- "I know. But now I am sure"

The old woman smiled at the girl and took her hands gently.

- "I love you Mei Ling, and you know it. Out of all of my grandchildren, you're the only one that has my personality and you have been a great joy in my life. Believe me when I tell you I would have done anything for you to avoid suffering like this…"

- "Don't worry Grandma. You warned me about this when I was a child remember?... you always warned me…"

- "But you are so stubborn, just like me .."

- "It's a pity I also inherited you magical ability along side your personality…"

- "You can't have everything in life child" She teased. "You have a great personality and that is something we should thank the gods..."

Both began to laugh.

- "And where did you leave Sakura?"

- "She was looking for the Beast of the Seal. I think she was worried about his safety, you know, I have a feeling Kerberos doesn't like Syaoran one bit…"

- "That's not news Grandma."

Three young people sat in the cafeteria with signs of deep satisfaction.

- "This really was a surprise Naoko" Rika replied with a sweet smile. "So how long have you lived in Tokyo?"

- "At least three years. What surprises me is that we have been able to find each other after so long without seeing one another ... I think this is a sign!"

- "Signs can be interpreted different ways… in ancient time they were interpreted by…"

- "Yamazaki please!" Both girls laughed. "You are still the same.'

- "Well, I can't help it." He replied. "The truth is: I'm very happy. Aren't you guys happy too?"

- "Of course"

- "I am happy!"

- "Well this is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time and I think you agree with me ... I just hope this is a sign indicating that my bad luck is finally leaving me…"

- "Bad luck?

- "It's long a long story Naoko." Rika spoke. "And before Yamazaki starts to explain it I need to ask you something first… do you know something about the others?"

- "Not a word. You are the first ones I have met in a really long time. Do you know something about the others?"

- "Nothing. Is not like we have forgotten them though.." Yamazaki said, "…specially my dear sweet Chiharu…"

Both girls began to laugh.

- "Then lets make a deal." Naoko suggested. "We will continue to keep seeing each other until we are 100 years old."

- "That's a great idea!"

- "And speaking of people who reach very old age ... did you know that in the past it was common for people to live more than 100 years?"

- "Yamazaki !" Both girls reprimanded him.

Sakura grabbed her purse with decision in her face. It was already late and she had told her father she was going to be at the hotel in an hour.

Her father was very concerned about her safety thanks to the strange events that occurred downtown and as dusk began she had to call him to calm him down. Even the Deans' meeting had decided to dissolve sooner than expected thanks to the unpleasant incident.

Nobody wanted to face a typhoon and although it was not typhoon season, the incident had been described as such and apparently everybody now preferred to be back in the security of their own countries.

Besides she faced another complicated situation, therefore she had decided to escape the house as soon as possible.

"But Miss Kinomoto, you don't have to leave right now" A sister of Syaoran told her.

"You have been very kind, but I really do have to leave right now." She spoke softly. "What happened this afternoon has been explained as weather condition and my dad is really worried… it's better for me to calm him down and return to the hotel.

"But… Why do you not tell your father that you both can stay here instead of a hotel? You would be far more comfortable and better taken care of here!" Another sister continued.

"Oh no! Don't worry" Replied Sakura a bit scared. "The thing is my dad doesn't know anything about magic and it would be difficult to…"

"But I'm sure he would love to know about it!"

"Oh no, no!"

"Why do you worry? It's one of the best things that can happen to someone!"

"You don't understand… you are too used to this sort of stuff to understand that it would be difficult to explain to him that…"

"One thing calls another" Another one spoke. "It is not right for a daughter to keep things from her father."

"The truth is, it is difficult for me to explain…"

"But why? It is the easiest thing in the world!"

Sakura was really sweating this time.

"No really. It's actually really complicated."

Fortunately for her the conversation had ended there and they had decided to leave her alone for a while. Therefore she gathered herself and resolved to leave at once by herself.

She knew it was inappropriate to leave without notice but there was no other way so she just wrote a note to Syaoran and…

"Sakura!"

"Ahhh" She screamed scared.

"Calm down Sakura, it's just me…Kerberos, the mighty beast" He spoke proudly even if he looked like a stuffed doll. "Why are you so nervous?'

"Nervous? Don't you think I have enough reasons to be nervous!" She spoke in a panic. "It's late, I'm with a guy I hadn't seen in ten years, someone tried to kill me, I'm in his house and they don't want me to leave, and now they want to invite dad here and explain to him all about magic… Don't you think I have enough reasons to be nervous!"

"Ok fine. Don't get mad. But maybe it's a good idea for you to stay here tonight."

"You think I'm at risk outside of this house?"

"Maybe, but I think it is best if you stay. Besides, what's wrong if you do tell your dad about magic? And also here they treat me with respect and I don't have to hide…"

"Kero… am I hearing wrong or are you beginning to like Syaoran just a little bit?"

'Don't you ever say that!" He replied angry. "But we really haven't spoken to him about helping him find the others…" He took a long look at Sakura. "Ok fine, do as you like, I doubt someone is going to attack you with the entire Council present in this city… but explain something to me… why do you want to leave this house furtively?"

"Because I don't know how to get rid of Syaoran's sisters and his grandma…they scare me a little…"

"But leave this way?"

"I know it's impolite, but I hope they understand, see I'm leaving a note…anyway…lets go already…" She took her magic key in between her hands… "Why are you looking at me like that?

"If you want to leave without being noticed its best if you don't use magic…this people have very tuned senses and they can identify magic as simply as identifying a lantern's light…"

"So I'm going to have to sneak out without magic?"

"Yep."

"Darn it. Just when I was taking a liking to magic again…" She sighed. "Oh well, it's best to leave already… come on!"

The next ten minutes where hard for Sakura… that house was far bigger than what she remembered and she wandered around in circles at least twice before she finally admitted that she was lost; she had done everything of course with extreme caution to not draw attention from the various Clan members until finally she made a drastic decision. In front of her there now stood the large stone fence that surrounded the house and having given up on the idea of using the front door—the only exit she had managed to find- she took a few steps back to have enough leverage to reach the top of the wall.

As soon as her hands made contact with the wall a voice spoke behind her…

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Ahhh!" She exclaimed letting go and falling to the ground, all of this before Syaoran's astonished gaze. "Oh it's you!... God you really scared me!"

"Hey you! You really scared us!" Protested Kero

"Well, looking at you anyone would think you had just robbed to house, the way you are leaving. If you are in such hurry why didn't you tell me before?

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to be impolite… but you sisters were being very insistent and I…"

"Seriously I think they are amazed at the fact that you actually know a girl…" Kero murmured with sarcasm.

Syaoran was barely able to control his anger. That toy was not going to make him lose patience now that he was an adult…

"Whatever! Forget my sisters and this way of leaving. Come with me, I'll myself take you to…"

"Don't bother!" Sakura spoke shaking her hands rapidly scared his grandma would find them together again. "It's just a question of leaving and.."

Kero was beginning to become annoyed.

"As you prefer." Syaoran shrugged. "But at least let me walk you to the front door and order a chauffeur to take you…"

Sakura was about to protest, but not blind to Syaoran's frown and afraid of offending him, she agreed. However as soon as they arrived at the front door, where a chauffeur already waited for her and as she was about to get in the car, she felt a presence that did not go unnoticed by both Kero and Syaoran…

"Who's there?" Syaoran asked, stepping in front of Sakura in an instinctive protective act while at the same time giving a signal to the chauffeur that immediately left and disappeared inside the house to raise the alarm. "If you don't respond I'll attack!"

"Be careful Sakura… It's someone with magical powers!" Kero spoke.

"You think they want to attack me again?" Sakura whispered.

"It's someone with a lot of magical powers to have gone through all the protective spells and the security personnel." Syaoran spoke, more to himself rather than to answer Sakura's question.

"I'm glad to know you are safe Syaoran." A woman's voice was heard from the shadows. "I heard you had an altercation this afternoon and I was very worried… you don't have to attack me for being worried, besides you know I'm not stupid enough to attack you…nor to attack the girl you are protecting."

A dead silence was Syaoran's response and Sakura noticed that he had gone pale while Kero looked at both with a certain amount of suspicion. In an instant a beautiful woman came out of the shadows.

"Mai Tsi!" Syaoran whispered, astonished and confused, but upon seeing Sakura's bewildered expression, he recovered enough of his composure to reply. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you. I wanted to know if you were ok." The woman spoke while throwing Sakura an analytical look. "Are you not going to introduce me to your new friend?"

"Oh God, and who is this one?" Kero spoke but Sakura grabbed him with both hands covering his mouth to shut him up.

"It's better if you return home Mai Tsi." Syaoran spoke, fighting to control his anger, more for Sakura's sake rather than for Mai Tsi's. "What happens to the Li Clan is no longer your concern.

"But… Are you really not going to introduce us?"

"Well… I'm…"

Syaoran stopped Sakura with a wave of his hand.

"Leave already Mai Tsi…"

"They told me you were planning on getting married…" The woman continued. "Does it bother you if she meets me? Or do you find it unethical for your new girlfriend to meet the woman that could have been your wife?" She looked at Sakura while Syaoran changed color. "That's right, Syaoran asked me to marry him first…I just hope you are the appropriate person to make him happy."

"No, no! There has been a misunderstanding!" Sakura spoke shaking her head repeatedly. "I think you are misunderstanding ma'am…you are getting me confused with someone else!"

"Mai Tsi stop talking about such things" Syaoran spoke wishing the earth swallow him. "Sakura is…"

"I'm telling you, you are getting me confused…"

"Mai Tsi, enough of this!"

The woman walked towards Syaoran and put a gentle finger over his mouth to quiet him.

"I only wanted to know that you were ok…" She turned towards Sakura. "Make him very happy please…"

"WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!" Both spoke at the same time.

"Don't deny it Syaoran…the truth is I…"

"ENOUGH" Spoke Kero getting away from Sakura and appearing in between all three. "I AM TIRED OF EVERYONE SAYING THAT MY SAKURA IS GOING TO END UP WITH THIS BRAT!" He was shaking his arms vigorously. "I DON'T LIKE IT, I DON'T LIKE IT!"

Mai Tsi was astonished and after a furious glance from Syaoran he made Sakura get in the car quickly. The members of the Clan that had shown up before as protection were dismissed with a choleric gesture from him and he too got in the car but not before speaking to Mai Tsi.

"Listen, you and I have nothing to with each other anymore and let's hope you finally decide to return to Thailand because that would make me extremely happy!"

He stepped on the accelerator with force, while Kero—as soon as he got in the car-continued with his protests…

_Author's Notes: K eke ke Here I go again… this chapter turned out be a bit of a mix with some misunderstandings, jokes and serious bits. But what do you guys think? At least now we know what's going on with Tomoyo- it was time to know right? Less characters are left to make an appearance so have a bit of patience that there are still many more surprises left coming up in the next chapters. And as always comments, suggestions and criticisms in the review section please!_

_A taste of the next chapter: Sakura has a bit of disagreement with Kero. Someone, after a long wait, finally makes his appearance and we notice that time has done little to change his character even though his life does have some peculiar details. Syaoran makes a very important decision while Mei Ling has a disturbing encounter. And if that were not enough Yukito finally wakes up to find an old acquaintance in front of him…._

_Chapter VI: Fears and Decisions_


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